


Lying from You

by TotoroPirate



Category: Glee
Genre: Angry Sex, Barebacking, Domestic Violence, Hate Sex, M/M, Scheming, coopbastian, dub con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-05
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-28 06:35:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 112,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/671404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotoroPirate/pseuds/TotoroPirate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It all started as a game of revenge. Cooper planned on hurting Sebastian for what he did to Blaine, but he never imagined he would fall for him in the process. What happens if Sebastian ever finds out his initial intentions, or who he really is? Written for a GKM prompt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this in august, but never posted it. Just trying to see if there is any interest. 
> 
> For this story, you should not take into consideration anything canon other than the fact that Sebastian slushied Blaine.

White. White was the color of the walls, the faded color of the hospital floor tiles, and probably even the color of his face. He felt drained.

Cooper was exhausted. It had been a long emergency flight from LA back to Ohio; he still felt like his head was spinning from how quickly everything happened. He was on his way home, having just finished shooting his last scene for a small role he booked on a TV series when his mom called and told him about what happened.

Because of how upset his mother was when they spoke, the details of what happened were not exactly clear but he knew enough to know he had to fly to Ohio as fast as he could.

_His parents were on their way to the hospital. Blaine had been injured. He wouldn’t say who did it to him._

“It’s probably nothing serious Coop, you don’t have to come.” Blaine had told him between strained sobs and sniffles. Obviously trying to hide the pain he was feeling from his older brother so he wouldn’t worry. But Cooper wanted to be there for him, especially after his mother told him that Blaine needed to have surgery because his cornea had been damaged.

Cooper knew his relationship with Blaine had become estranged over the years, and while he always kept telling himself that he was going to find a way to fix it, he never got around to actually doing it. Trying to make it as a successful actor was not an easy task. He was always away; away from his family, away from his hometown and away from everything that happened there. Cooper knew he failed to be there for Blaine when he needed him the most; being absent when he came out and his parents had a hard time accepting him. 

Blaine’s situation at home had gotten better as the years passed but Cooper knew he had left his little brother through those difficult times to stand alone, right when he needed his support, and Cooper wasn’t about to let that happen again.

So that’s what got him there in the cold hospital room after a 4-hour flight, sitting on Blaine’s bedside, wishing he could sleep but not quite managing to do it in the awkward hospital recliner chair. His parents tried to convince him to go home with them, but Cooper wanted to be there when Blaine woke up. He didn’t make it on time to see Blaine right after surgery; he was sleeping when Cooper got to the hospital.

Cooper still didn’t know exactly what happened apart from the fact that it had been a slushy what hurt Blaine’s eye. But not only had his cornea been scratched, he had to have his arm in a cast, as he had broken it when he hit the floor after been hit in the eye with the icy beverage. 

Cooper’s blood was boiling at the thought of his little brother being attacked and hurt. This was the second time Blaine ended up in the hospital because of an “incident” at school. Cooper was angry, but more than that, he was _terrified_. What had it been it this time? Was Blaine being bullied at that new school he transferred to? Had he been attacked for being gay? Was this going to just keep happening to him?

He was startled out of his thoughts as he noticed Blaine shifting under the covers.

“Coop?” Blaine said in a sleepy voice.

“Hey squirt, how are you feeling?”

“Ugh… fine, I’m fine, I guess.” He said, attempting a smile.

Cooper said nothing, just gave him a knowing smile. He knew Blaine wasn’t really ok, but he wasn’t going to push him for answers, especially not while he was still weak from the surgery and still in the hospital.

Blaine must have noticed Cooper didn’t quite believe him, because he quickly added: “I just… I want my bed, this one is so uncomfortable.”

“You should get some sleep, we’ll get you home in the morning.” Cooper told him, reaching out and squeezing his hand softly.

They stayed in silence for a while, Blaine trying to fall back to sleep but obviously not managing to succeed. Cooper shifted between sleep and wakefulness as he stayed deep in thought. He had so many questions, but it would have to wait until morning. 

The next day Blaine was discharged and their parents came to pick them up and head back home. Cooper went with them since his parents had taken his luggage back to their house the night before. He had his own apartment in Westerville and also a car but since he came from the airport directly to the hospital he’d taken a cab. He figured he should stay at his parents’ house for a couple of days and keep Blaine company, since he wouldn’t be allowed back to school until he could remove his eye patch, which apparently was going to be a couple of weeks depending on how he healed. 

Blaine was still refusing to tell his parents who had attacked him, saying it had been “an accident” and that he didn’t want to press charges. He had begged his parents with pleading eyes to not do anything about it and Cooper couldn’t help but feel the curiosity eating him inside, so he decided he was going to wait until they could be alone to ask Blaine to tell him the truth.

He was sure he could get Blaine to tell him what happened and the truth about who did this to him, and once he did he was going to make sure whoever was to blame paid for it.

After their parents had gone to bed, Blaine and Cooper were in the living room watching TV, Cooper figured this was as good a time as any to ask Blaine about what happened but so far he wasn’t having much luck. Blaine kept changing the subject and just trying to just shrug it off and flat out ignoring Cooper’s questions. Even with Cooper practically begging Blaine to _“Please talk to me, I just want to know what happened, I’m worried about you”_ Blaine still didn’t budge. Needless to say, Cooper was getting really frustrated.

After a couple of silent minutes, Cooper decided to try again, this changing his approach to a more serious tone: “Are you being threatened?” he asked flatly, looking straight at Blaine, “Is that why you don’t want to say anything? Because they threatened to hurt you again if you speak?” 

“W-what?” Blaine said, startled by the implication of what Cooper was saying “No… no! That’s not it.”

“Then what is it Blaine? Why can’t you tell me?”

Cooper slowly saw how Blaine’s expression shifted into a painful frown. Blaine looked sad, almost heartbroken, tears filling his eyes as he was obviously debating within himself about whether he should say something or not.

Cooper reached out and put his hand over his brother’s own trembling hand, encouraging him to speak. And that’s all it took for Blaine to finally open up. 

“It’s just… it was the Warblers, Coop.” Blaine said in a quiet voice, almost a whisper.

Cooper couldn’t believe what he just heard; surely this must be a mistake. “ _The Warblers?_ You mean your Dalton friends the Warblers?” He asked incredulously as he saw how Blaine wiped a tear that had spilled from his eye.

Cooper stared at Blaine in silence, too surprised about this to even know what to say. Blaine just nodded.

“Yeah, well… it was Sebastian, but the Warblers helped him, they handed him the slushy…” Blaine sniffled “They knew what he wanted to do… and they helped him do it. I don’t know, I just… I don’t know Coop.”

If Cooper was worried about Blaine before, nothing could describe what he felt now that he knew who had hurt his brother. This was so much worse than if it had been some random bullies from McKinley, these guys were supposed to be Blaine’s friends! He felt hurt and betrayed on his younger brother’s behalf. What could have possibly happened? And who the hell was this Sebastian guy? He certainly hadn’t heard about him before.

Cooper tried his best to keep himself calm enough to listen carefully as Blaine told him the story about Sebastian and how they met. Blaine told him about how he was the Warblers’ new lead soloist and how he was really different from all the guys he’d met before. Cooper breathed deeply, trying to ease the feeling of anger that had spread from his chest down to his stomach and now at the back of his throat. 

The more Blaine talked about Sebastian, the more upset Cooper became about the bastard. The way Blaine spoke about the guy was just sickening. He told Cooper about how good looking, confident and talented he was, and how they had some sort of friendship going on. Blaine admitted he admired Sebastian to a point, because he was really confident and open about his sexuality in a way that Blaine never had seen before. Cooper just listened and nodded as his little brother continued talking about this guy. It was like once Blaine started talking about him he couldn’t stop. 

Blaine told him the story about how Sebastian had taken him and Kurt to Scandals, and about how he seemed to be really experienced and how easy it was for him to flirt and hook up with guys. Blaine told Cooper about how despite everything, he didn’t think Sebastian had many true friends, and that he wanted to be that for Sebastian. He talked about how he tried to be his friend even when he knew Sebastian was going after him, trying to break him and Kurt up. At that last admission Cooper could see the guilt in Blaine’s eyes, it was a deep sadness, full of regret. 

“So… do you like him?” Cooper asked, a little careful of his choice of words, but he really needed to know.

Blaine just shook his head, “Well… Not anymore.” Blaine huffed “I just thought he was different, you know? I thought we could be friends, despite everything, but he doesn’t care Coop. He hurt me and he doesn’t even care!" 

Blaine was really upset and it was breaking Cooper’s heart, so he decided to stop asking questions about Sebastian. He was going to have to find out more information about this guy on his own. At least he had a name now, someone he could make accountable for what happened. He just needed to find him now, and make sure he regretted what he had done.

Later that night, as Blaine and his parents were fast asleep, Cooper took his brother’s computer from his bag and took it to his room. He opened and was relieved when he realized it was only asleep, because that meant he was automatically logged into Blaine’s Facebook account. Cooper felt a little bit of unease at breaching Blaine’s privacy this way, but kept telling himself it was fine because he was doing this _for him_.

He did a quick search on his friend’s list and found the offender: Sebastian Smythe. Cooper felt bile rise in his throat as he clicked on his picture to open his profile page and take a better look. He needed to find out more information about him.

Blaine was right, the guy was good looking, and just by taking a look at his profile and photos Cooper could see how arrogant and cocky he was. It was something about the things he posted and the way he answered to messages on his timeline from people basically kissing his ass, it was so obvious that it made him sick.

Cooper was pretty sure Sebastian was the kind of guy who grew up having everything and thinking he was entitled to get anything or anyone he wanted; and that’s when it hit him. Cooper knew right then exactly what he needed to do.

As much as he wished he could, he knew he couldn’t get away with beating him up; he wouldn’t risk getting sued or arrested. But he was going to find a way to wound him deeper than any punch could ever hurt. Cooper was going to make Sebastian have a taste of his own medicine, and there was only one way he could do that. 

He walked to the bathroom, took a deep look in the mirror and made up his mind. He was an actor, and he was ready to play the biggest role of his life. He was going to find Sebastian, and he was going to lead him on. Cooper was going to put his good looks to good use like he knew he could. He was going to charm Sebastian into thinking he was interested in him and once he got him where he wanted, Cooper was going to make sure Sebastian understood just how worthless he really was.


	2. Chapter 2

On Friday night, Cooper rushed down the stairs, his mind reeling with the excitement of what he was about to do. He'd been thinking about it non stop for the past 2 days, and there had been some days when he questioned if it was a good idea or not, but all he had to do to get his resolve back was to look at Blaine.

 _Oh he was definitely going to do this._ And tonight was as good a day as ever to try and see if he could actually pull it off.

When Blaine asked him where he was going, Cooper vaguely said he was just going out to reacquaint himself with a couple of old friends. It was a blatant lie because he was heading in a very specific direction: Scandals.

"Cooper honey? Are you going out?"

"Yes mom," Cooper said, bending down to kiss her head as he walked by. She was sitting in the recliner chair on the living room, reading a book.

"Don't wait up!" He told her with a wink and a smile before closing the door behind him. If she said anything else, Cooper didn't hear. Tonight he was a man on a mission.

It was a bit of a pain, to have to stay in his parents' house for the time being. He had an apartment but the place was not in good shape. He needed to make some arrangements to make it decent for him to live in there again. His dad was insisting he stayed in Westerville instead of returning to LA, offering him a place in his company, but Cooper still had to make up his mind about it.

He didn't have any other job booked for this month. His agent was working on getting him auditions, so he could spend some time in Ohio if he wanted.

He got into his car and headed out to the bar. The drive helped him clear his thoughts and psyche himself up for what he was about to do.

He didn't know what he expected going into the place, but Scandals was definitely not what he thought it would be. He thought a gay bar would be more fabulous or interesting but the place was a hellhole, and the crowd was pathetic _,_  to say the least.

Cooper wasn't surprised to see a lot of older men, figuring Ohio was full of closet cases. He laughed to himself as he walked into the place and noticed how he caught the glances of a few guys. He wasn't gay, no; he was an actor playing a role. He walked around, avoiding eye contact with as many people as possible as he scanned the place for the guy he was looking for. Soon enough he found him, sitting in the bar, all alone.

Cooper felt a weird twinge in his stomach at the sight of Sebastian. He wanted nothing more than to walk up to him, grab him by that stupid popped collar and drag him out of the bar so he could kick his ass until he was nothing more than a puddle in the pavement, but he knew he couldn't do that. So instead he took a deep breath and decided to take a seat in one of the tables by the corner to observe him for a while before actually making a move. 

Sebastian was sitting down with a half empty bottle of beer in front of him as he stared at his phone. He hovered over Blaine's name over and over again, but never got the nerve to actually call him. He'd composed a dozen text messages full of apologies and regrets, but deleted every single one of them before even daring to send them. He knew he had screwed up big time. Blaine wouldn't want anything to do with him, so why bother?

He was feeling a little lightheaded, but not quite drunk yet, and he really wanted to be. He'd come to Scandals tonight with the intention of getting wasted, and he was slowly getting there. He didn't really like to come to Scandals that much anymore; but compared to being at home, this place was a hundred times better. His arm still hurt a bit from the altercation he had with his father earlier that day. Sebastian had been so mad that he left and didn't have the intention of showing up back home before morning.

He knew that once he got home he was going to get yelled at, as usual. So there was no point in showing up before it was absolutely necessary. Maybe showing up till morning would be better, maybe his mom wouldn't be as mad and his dad would go easier on him.

Cooper stared at Sebastian from where he was sitting, going through the motions of what he was going to do. He knew what he wanted to do. He even rehearsed what he was going to say before coming. He'd initially thought about going with the ‘mysterious foreigner’ role, his Irish accent was impeccable by now. But in the end he'd decided to try and be a bit more casual, and test the waters once he actually got to talk to Sebastian.

If the things Blaine had told him about Sebastian were any indication, he would be an easy target. He was good looking, and Sebastian was a slut, so it wouldn’t take much effort to get him where he wanted.

But just as Cooper was about to get up and walk towards the bar, another guy beat him to it, walking over and sitting beside Sebastian.

 _Shit._ Cooper kicked himself for not making his move sooner. This complicated things.

Sebastian was startled when he felt someone sit abruptly in the empty stool next to him. The guy put his arm over the bar, almost touching Sebastian’s own, getting all up on his personal space.

"Hey gorgeous, can I buy you a drink?" The man said, his hot breath brushing over Sebastian's face and making him flinch away instinctively. 

 _Great._ This is just what he needed right now, to have some old loser hitting on him. Sebastian figured that's what he got for spending so much time here in this place. 

"I already have a drink." Sebastian replied, looking away from him and up front to the bar tender, who was laughing, probably mocking Sebastian and the situation he was in. _Bastard._

"My name is Joe..." The man said, before ordering a beer for himself and one more for Sebastian, clearly not getting a hint. "And you are?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, expecting a reaction.

"Not interested." Sebastian said, rolling his eyes and just staring mindlessly at the bottles of liquor decorating the wall behind the bar, hoping the guy would leave him alone. He took another sip of his beer and sighed. He really wasn't in the mood for this at all.

Cooper watched from the distance how the guy was all over Sebastian, obviously hitting on him. All his doubts about Sebastian being with that guy were soon cleared up because it was more than obvious that he wasn't. He didn't need to listen to what they were saying, because just by studying his body language, Cooper could tell Sebastian was annoyed by the guy's presence. Right in that moment, Cooper realized this was actually an opportunity for him. He could walk up there and intervene, get rid of the guy so he could provide Sebastian with more interesting company.

So he stood up from the table and started walking towards the bar, but just as he was a few steps away from them, Sebastian got up and walked away, leaving the guy in the bar hanging and confused. Cooper cursed under his breath as he saw Sebastian walk to the back towards the restrooms. He didn't want to be blatantly obvious so he kept walking and sat down beside the other guy.

 _"Fucking cocktease!"_  Cooper heard the guy curse as he slammed his fist on the table before wiping his mouth with his dirty sleeve and storming away in the same direction Sebastian went.

Cooper was puzzled, and he just sat there for a couple of seconds, thinking about what to do now. Sebastian had clearly walked away from the guy, and now he was pissed and had gone chasing after him.

"Fuck this." Cooper said, walking towards the restrooms. Even before pushing the door open, he could sense there was a struggle going on, he heard a pained yelp, and once he was inside he saw the guy had Sebastian pinned against the wall, twisting his arm and groping him from behind.

In the midst of their struggle, neither the guy nor Sebastian had noticed Cooper's presence. For a split second Cooper thought it could be nice to just sit back and watch how this guy had his way with Sebastian in that dirty restroom. But as much as Sebastian's pain amused him, he knew he had a role to play. Tonight, he would be the hero.

Sebastian was in pain, the guy had grabbed him by his injured arm and it hurt so much that he was just unable to move as the guy slammed him against the wall, biting his neck and groping his dick through his jeans. He felt like he was going to be sick, and the buzz from the alcohol wasn't helping at all.  He was disoriented and confused, and his attempt at pushing the guy off of him had just resulted in the guy using his own force to slam him back, face first into the wall.

"Hey! What the fuck are you doing?" Cooper yelled, grabbing the guy by the jacket and pulling him away from Sebastian.

Sebastian fell to the floor and struggled to stand up as his attacker pushed Cooper against the sinks. Luckily, it didn't take much for Cooper to overpower the guy and push him against the stalls before punching him in the stomach.

"Ugh just mind your own damn business you fucking prick!" the guy said, coughing and pushing Cooper away from him.

"This _is_ my fucking business, you asshole!" Cooper hissed, walking over to Sebastian and standing in front of him, covering him from the other guy's view.

The guy gave them a once over before cursing something intelligible and storming out of the place. They stayed in silence for a couple of seconds, catching their breath before Cooper turned around to face Sebastian, who was still in some kind of shock.

"Are you okay?" Cooper said, offering a hand.

"Yeah..." Sebastian said, feeling a little startled and dizzy. He took Cooper's hand and stood up on shaky legs, straightening up his clothes. With all the commotion he hadn't even been able to see who had helped get the guy off him. Once Sebastian looked at Cooper, the surprise was evident in his features.

"That guy's an asshole, did he hurt you?" Cooper asked, putting his acting skills to good use, faking concern.

"No… not much" Sebastian said, a little embarrassed and overwhelmed. "Thanks for uh... Helping me out."

"Yeah, no problem." Cooper said, bright smile and a wink.

"I owe you one." Sebastian said, and he meant it. "I'd never seen you around here before..."

"Yeah I don't come here often... Or, _at all."_

"Can't blame you for that, this place is shit." Sebastian admitted, and they both laughed. Their exchange was a little shy and awkward but not in a tense way, and Cooper was pleased to see Sebastian was interested in him. After all, why wouldn't he be?

"I'm Cooper, by the way." He stretched out his hand to shake Sebastian's, his touch lingering half a second longer than normal. Not too long for it to be weird, but just enough to make his intent clear.

"Sebastian." 

"So, are you here with someone, Sebastian?" Cooper asked.

"Uh, not tonight, no." Sebastian said, trying to play it cool.

"Well..." Cooper started, "I have no idea if that guy left or if he's still lurking around out there but, I don't think you should be alone."

Sebastian smiled. He couldn't tell if the guy was interested in him or if he just pitied him for what happened. But no matter how shitty his night and his mood had been up to that moment, there was no way Sebastian would turn down the opportunity to hang out with Cooper; god knows he needed the company and the fact that Cooper was extremely good looking was a welcome bonus.

"So, is that an offer to keep me company?" Sebastian said, studying Cooper's face for a reaction.

"It can be, if you want to." Cooper replied coolly.

"What do you have in mind?"

Cooper smiled, "Well, I think first we should get outta here."

Sebastian nodded in agreement and they walked out of the restroom and back into the club, and as they made their way through the crowd and towards the door, Sebastian smiled, thinking maybe this night wouldn’t be so crappy after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it starts! *takes deep breaths*
> 
> Thanks so much for the awesome comments and kudos! I am happy you guys are interested in this story :) definitely motivates me to keep posting and writing!


	3. Chapter 3

"Your car or mine?" Sebastian asked once they were out in the parking lot.

Cooper snorted, "I don't think you're in condition to drive."

 "I'm perfectly fine!" Sebastian said, indignantly. 

Cooper raised an eyebrow, "How much did you have to drink?"

"Not enough!" Sebastian said and Cooper laughed.

"Alright. I'll believe you... But  _I'm_ driving anyway." Cooper said, walking towards his car. Sebastian followed him closely, feeling a tingle of excitement and nerves as he got into Cooper's blue Tucson. He had no idea where Cooper wanted to take him; it could be another bar, a club, or even a motel, for all he knew. 

"Where are we going?" He finally asked.

"Exile." Cooper said as he turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. "I don't presume you've heard of it, specially if _this_ is where you usually hang out." He said with a teasing grin and Sebastian flipped him off, causing them both to laugh.

"Seriously though, what is a guy like you doing in Scandals?"

"Well... I honestly don't care about the place when all I want is to get drunk so..." Sebastian shrugged, "Scandals was as good a place as any."

"Bad day huh?" Cooper asked, not taking his eyes away from the road.

"Bad week." Sebastian said, looking out the window. 

"Well..." Cooper said with a big and confident smile, "That's about to change."

-

They arrived at the club and easily made their way in.  Sebastian was glad for the good money he paid for his fake ID, cause there was no way he would survive the embarrassment if he was turned down at the door of a place like this. He didn't know how old Cooper was, but Sebastian figured he was at least 25, if not older. And well, Sebastian didn't want to be seen as a stupid high school brat with a crappy fake ID.

The place was loud and crowded, and the energy was amazing. The atmosphere was definitely a drastic change from what it was at Scandals. Sebastian could feel the energy buzzing through him just by walking into the place.

The place was full and there were all sorts of people dancing, others kissing in the booths, in the bar, and no one seemed to care. Those were perks of being in a gay club.

Once Sebastian was done staring at the place he found Cooper's gaze. He was looking at Sebastian with a smile on his face.

"You up for a drink?" 

"Thought you'd never ask."

They went over to the bar and started talking. Cooper ordered Tequila shots for them to get started, and he knew he'd made the right choice bringing Sebastian here. It was the perfect spot to have a good time and also be able to talk a little bit. After all, he had plans for Sebastian that involved more than just hooking up with him.

He wanted to make an impression, and for that he actually needed to engage Sebastian on a deeper level than the just the physical. They needed to talk, and get to know each other a bit. Cooper had everything scripted beforehand, coming up with a name, occupation and a whole background story to tell Sebastian when the opportunity came.

_He was Cooper Andrews, Business Consultant, and he was in Ohio supervising a project for the firm he worked for in LA._

In spite of all his preparations, it was surprisingly easy for Cooper to talk with Sebastian, he soon found out he wasn't even pretending to have fun. They were actually having an interesting conversation about random topics. They went from eyeing random people around and talking about them, to actually discussing their hobbies and favorite sports teams. They laughed and talked and drank a little too much, and Cooper had to stop himself cause he was the designated driver for the night. Sebastian on the other hand, seemed to be determined to get drunk out of his mind.

Cooper didn't really mind, he wanted Sebastian to have a good time with him so he would want to see him again. It was all going really great, Cooper felt like everything was going according to plan, that is until Sebastian finally dragged him to the dance floor. 

"So, can you dance, Cooper Andrews?" Sebastian said, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Or am I going to have to find someone else?"

Well, Cooper was never one to back down from a challenge. And so when Sebastian stood up from the stool and grabbed him by the arm, he knew it was show time.

Sebastian was moving to the beat of the music, the buzz of the alcohol obviously loosening him up and making him completely forget about everything around him. Sebastian danced and moved around, pressing his back to Cooper's chest and moving his hips slightly brushing Cooper's own.

Cooper danced along, studying Sebastian's moves carefully and looking at everyone around him from time to time. No one was paying him any attention, but Cooper couldn't help but feel like all eyes were on him. It wasn't that Cooper didn't like dancing; in fact he was pretty good at it. It's just that he'd never danced with a guy before, and as Cooper was slowly figuring out, Sebastian Smythe was really something else.

The way Sebastian was moving was really confusing at first. He'd get really close to Cooper but then turn around and step away from him. He'd look deep into his eyes for a few seconds but then he would close them and turn towards the side, looking elsewhere. It seemed like he was really into him for a second, and then he was looking away, staring at other directions, _staring at other guys._

 It took a little while for what he was doing to actually sink into Cooper's brain:  _Sebastian was teasing him._

_Son of a bitch._

Well, two could play that game. So with a swift move of his arm around Sebastian's waist, Cooper pulled him closer.

It was meant to be a subtle move, but the second Cooper's hand touched Sebastian, his eyes flew open and something sparked in them. Sebastian stared at him with a dark and wanton look; his lips slowly curled into a smirk and he pressed their chests together, moving in a slow and seductive way.

He could feel the heat of Sebastian's body against his own, every beat of the music accentuating the roll of his hips, and the touch of Sebastian's hands against his chest, his neck, his hair. Cooper grabbed Sebastian's waist in a tight grip, looking deep into his eyes, challenging him, and that's all it took for Sebastian to breach the small distance that was left between their faces as he crashed their lips together.

The kiss was strong, wet and even desperate. Cooper's mind was in overdrive. He'd kissed a guy once before, for an audition, and figured when the time came and he had to kiss Sebastian it would be no different.

_He'd never been so wrong before._

Sebastian's kiss was firm and building a steady rhythm as they kept dancing slower but were still pressed together. Cooper's hands roamed up and down Sebastian's back, teasing but not daring to go below the belt, and Sebastian's left hand fisted Cooper's shirt as the other one caressed the backside of his neck, holding him in place as they kissed.

The adrenaline was flowing through Cooper as he realized what he was doing. This was one more step in the right direction; everything was going according to plan, right? That's what he wanted to believe, but soon Cooper realized it wasn't really the case.

Not when he started to lose himself in the feeling of Sebastian's lips against his own, in the taste of his tongue and the desperate brush of teeth against lips. And Cooper knew things were definitely getting out of control when he started to feel himself getting hard, his erection pressing inside his pants and the constant friction of Sebastian's body against his own was slowly driving him mad. 

Cooper started to panic right in that moment, because he knew he had to stop. He was actually on a mission and not just fooling around. He couldn't risk losing control here, not when there were steady steps that needed to be taken in order for his plan to work.

With the way Sebastian was moaning and rutting against him, Cooper knew it wouldn't be long before he wanted to go further. And Cooper knew he couldn't just drag Sebastian towards the back and fuck him in one of the bathroom stalls.

Cooper felt his stomach drop when he realized he was thinking about sex and Sebastian in the same context. 

 _Hell no._ This needed to stop right now.

And so Cooper was the one to break the kiss, putting his hands on Sebastian's shoulders to break away from his eager kissing. Sebastian frowned, confused at the sudden movement but then Cooper quickly moved his hands to cup his face and press their foreheads together. 

Sebastian still seemed a little startled but Cooper quickly said: "You are amazing. Did you know that?"

Sebastian's confused expression changed and a small smile formed in his face at the sound of Cooper's words.

"You're not bad yourself." Sebastian said before leaning in to kiss him again. Only this time the kiss was slower, tamer, and Cooper wondered what he could do to get them to the bar again and away from this mess.

"Let's take a break," Cooper said, feeling a little breathless, "I need a drink!"

Sebastian just nodded and followed Cooper as he walked back to the bar. Sebastian was feeling very dizzy and euphoric, and he knew it was not just the alcohol. His night so far had been ten times better than he ever thought it would be. And he was excited about the possibilities about what could happen next.

Cooper ordered a bottle of water, "Do you want anything?" He asked Sebastian but Sebastian didn't reply, he was looking down at his phone. He was surprised it was almost 2am, and a little worried to see he had 6 missed calls from his mother. His parents usually called once or twice and if he didn't pick up they just gave up until they could talk in person.

Sebastian just sighed and turned off his phone, he didn't want anything to ruin his mood tonight. 

When he turned to look at Cooper again, Sebastian realized he'd ordered him another beer. Sebastian smiled because it was exactly what he needed, and so he drank away.

It was almost 3 am when Cooper and Sebastian finally stepped out of the club, and Sebastian was having a hard time walking in a straight line. It should have been embarrassing but it wasn't. Not when Cooper had his arm around his waist, holding him tight as he helped him keep his balance enough to walk towards the car. Sebastian could smell the mixed scent of Cooper's cologne and sweat.

_It was awesome._

Cooper on the other hand, was debating what to do. He was relieved to see Sebastian drunk out if his mind, because that meant he probably wouldn't have the stamina to try to get them going again. But what could Cooper do? He couldn't take Sebastian back to Scandals to get his car, he was too drunk; and Cooper didn't know where Sebastian lived to go and drop him off.

So he got an idea.

Sebastian looked like he was about to pass out, and he was hoping that would be the case. But when Cooper turned on the engine Sebastian turned his head to his side and looked at him through half lidded eyes.

"Now what?" He asked, and Cooper grinned.

"Now we go back to my place. How does that sound?"

"Sounds awesome." Sebastian said, with a stupid look on his face. He was so far gone that Cooper was having a hard time not laughing. Sebastian was a happy drunk, apparently.

And a horny one too; as Cooper would soon find out.

When they got to Cooper's apartment building, he went over to Sebastian's side to help him out. Cooper didn't want to have to take him to the hospital because he fell on his face and broke his nose or something. So Cooper put his arm around Sebastian to help him walk towards the door and into the elevator. Not half a second after the elevator doors had closed; Sebastian was leaning up to kiss Cooper again.

"Hey easy tiger, we're almost there... almost there-" Cooper said, hoping his annoyance wasn't showing. And judging by Sebastian's stupid grin, he must have been doing a good job with his acting.

They walked slowly down the hallway, and as Cooper struggled with his keys to open the door, Sebastian started kissing his neck, sucking the sensitive skin and sending shivers down his spine.

_Fucking hell._

Cooper managed to get them inside and once they were in, he pushed Sebastian down on the couch, hoping to get him off of him. However, Sebastian grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and Cooper ended up falling on top of him. He was getting really annoyed with Sebastian's whole handsy drunk attitude, but Cooper knew he couldn't say anything. This had been _his_ idea after all, and he had to play along. 

 _Stay in character, stay in character_. Cooper kept repeating in his head, almost like a mantra.

So he gave in and kissed Sebastian some more. Cooper thought it would be easier to stay in control this time around but it wasn't. 

The position they were in should have given Cooper the upper hand, but Sebastian seemed to be the one calling all the shots. Granted, the kisses were sloppier this time, with how drunk Sebastian was, but he was grabbing Cooper firmly by the neck and lower back, keeping him down as Sebastian arched up, desperate for friction. Hands roamed everywhere and then Sebastian started pulling Cooper's shirt up, his hands hot against Cooper´s skin and the slow movement of them up and down his chest made Cooper painfully hard.

This was insane. Cooper knew if he didn't stop right now things would go straight to hell. So he broke away from Sebastian's heavy kissing, tracing his mouth down his neck. That made Sebastian moan in pleasure as put his hands away and lay back, but instead on going further down, Cooper sat up and got off the couch, pushing Sebastian back down when he was starting to sit up to go after him.

"Wait! Wait here... I'll be right back okay?" Cooper said, giving Sebastian a small peck in the lips before rushing out towards the bedroom.

The only thing Cooper heard from Sebastian was a frustrated groan before he shut the door behind him.

Cooper turned on the light and saw what he expected. His room was empty, but at least it wasn't dirty.  He knew his mom sent someone every now and then to clean up, so at least it wasn't as bad as he feared it would be. That didn't matter anyway, Cooper needed to figure out what to do and fast.

He started pacing around back and forth, with absolutely no idea of what to do. How was he supposed to handle this? Sebastian was _right outside_ his room, probably waiting for him to get back there and finish what they had started.

_Fuck._

He went into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror _. Why did he ever think this was a good idea?_

Cooper cursed under his breath as he ran back to his room and noticed there was only a blanket covering the mattress, and so he rushed to the closet, hoping he could find something to make the bed with. Cooper was relieved when he found a comforter and blankets, as he had feared his mother had taken them all out for laundry or something.

He hastily made bed and searched his closet for something to change into, a t-shirt and sweatpants or anything. But there wasn't really much to choose from, he didn't keep much clothes in this place.  _Whatever._

Cooper turned off the main light and lit up the bedside lamp, giving the room a cozier appeal. Cooper breathed deeply, thinking maybe he could play the romantic trope, and tell Sebastian he wanted to take things slow. Maybe offer him to stay in his bed and just lay together.

He knew Sebastian would probably laugh, or yell at him, but he still had to try. After all, Sebastian was probably used to having one-night stands, but Cooper didn't want to just be one more hookup. Cooper wanted to make Sebastian think he wanted him for more than that.

He just hoped it worked.

So Cooper took a deep breath to compose himself -as much as he could considering the massive hard on the was sporting- before going back to the living room. The light from the bedroom lit the place dimly and he walked to the couch where Sebastian was laying down.

Cooper stood next to him and looked down. Sebastian didn't move, and he had his eyes closed. Was he asleep?

"Sebastian?" Cooper whispered, but Sebastian didn't move. He kneeled down and touched his shoulder to try again… “Sebastian?”

But nothing happened. He had completely passed out. 

Cooper stood up and took a few steps backwards until he dropped down in the other couch, sighing in relief.

_That was close._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting complicated... dun dun duunnn!
> 
> Thanks for all the comments and reviews guys. I really appreciate them. Next update might not be until next weekend though, cause this week will be a little tough for me at work. But fear not, the updates will continue!


	4. Chapter 4

There were many sacrifices that needed to be made when you decided to pursue a career in acting, and Cooper surely knew all about them. Early morning or late night auditions, last-minute call backs, driving across different states looking for auditions, and constantly having to step out of your comfort zone. But surely this self-imposed role required Cooper to go further than he'd ever gone before.

Talking was easy, and so was flirting. Even kissing Sebastian hadn't really been that difficult, but Cooper still couldn't believe what he had done today. He got up early on a Saturday morning, tip toed around his own apartment and left when it was still a bit dark outside just to get food for someone he hated.

Cooper didn't drink enough alcohol the night before to feel hung over. He just wasn't a morning person at all. His bed was warm and comfy, and to get out of it had required a ton of will power Cooper didn't even know he possessed.

He'd sneaked out of his apartment, being extra careful not to make noise just so he could go to the grocery store and get supplies to make breakfast for Sebastian before he woke up. Cooper was very dedicated to his mission, and it wouldn't look good if he didn't even have a cup of coffee to offer Sebastian once he was awake.

Cooper kicked himself for being so terribly unprepared. He didn't have anything to eat in his apartment. He barely had kitchen salt in the counter, and a gallon of water sitting in the fridge. He just wasn't planning on bringing Sebastian back to his place on the first night they met. Cooper knew better now than to underestimate just how eager Sebastian was in regards to sex. He'd have to be careful from now on, as he wanted to be the one setting the pace in this dance of deceit.

...

Back in the apartment, Sebastian opened his eyes and found himself in a warm and comfortable bed. He wanted nothing more than to snuggle under the covers and go back to sleep, but then it hit him: this wasn't his bed, or his room, or his house.

_Holy crap._

Sebastian sat up so fast that his head started throbbing. He turned around and realized the other side of the bed was empty. He wouldn't have been disappointed, not usually, but he was kind of hoping to see Cooper again. Last night was a bit of a blur, and Sebastian vaguely remembered what a good time he had dancing and making out with Cooper, but he was sure they didn't have sex. _Or did they?_

Sebastian was in Cooper's bed, half dressed only in his boxer briefs and a tank top, but he didn't really remember how he got there. He only remembered getting to Cooper's apartment and making out with him against the door, and then on the couch, but he'd blacked out after that. Just the thought of being in bed with a guy as good looking as Cooper and not remembering any of it had Sebastian kicking himself.  But what's done it's done, he guessed.

Sebastian sighed, moving to get off the bed, and that's when he realized he didn't even  _feel_ like he had sex. Surely he would be at least a little sore, especially from how long it had been since he had actual intercourse.

Well, that was too bad, and Sebastian couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Especially because Cooper had left him there, obviously trying to avoid the morning-after awkwardness. God, Sebastian was so drunk last night that he probably said something lame or stupid. Whatever, it wouldn't be the first time he got ditched, and Sebastian himself had been the one to do that to a couple of other guys before.

So he collected his pants and shirt from the floor and hastily got dressed. He needed to get out of there immediately. Sebastian glanced at the nightstand clock and was relieved to see at least it was still early, but he knew he had to hurry if he wanted to avoid getting into even more trouble with his parents.

He wasn't looking forward to getting yelled at once he got home, but it was time to face the music.

When he opened the bedroom door to leave, the sight  _and smell_ that greeted him were more than unexpected. Cooper was in the kitchen, dressed only in a pair of blue sweatpants and a small white shirt that clung tightly to his back, detailing his shoulder and back muscles perfectly.

"Well good morning gorgeous!" Cooper greeted with a smile wider than ever and eyes a brighter blue than they looked last night in the dim lights of the club.

"Hi..." Sebastian said, pleasantly surprised.

Cooper looked down at where Sebastian was holding his jacket and frowned. "What? Don't tell me you're leaving already... I'm making us breakfast!"

Sebastian laughed, shaking his head in disbelief as he put his jacket over the couch and walked over to the kitchen. 

"Coffee?" Cooper asked, reaching over to pour a cup for Sebastian, who just nodded at him.

"Thanks..." Sebastian said; feeling a little relieved. Surely a nice cup of coffee and a handsome man in the kitchen cooking for him were more than he ever expected to get after thinking he had gotten ditched for being a just a needy drunk.

"Do you like omelets?"

"Sounds good."

Sebastian wasn't really hungry, but he had to admit the food smelled really good. Cooper seemed to be a morning person, unlike Sebastian who probably looked like shit, considering how terribly hung-over he was feeling at the moment.

He wanted nothing more than to get a shower and sleep all day, but surely having breakfast with Cooper wasn't bad at all. He had even set the table for the two of them, so Sebastian just sat down and watched as Cooper finished cooking and put a plate in front of him.

They ate in comfortable silence, making a bit of small talk here and then. When they were almost done eating, Cooper asked how Sebastian was feeling and cracked a few jokes about how drunk he got last night. They weren't mean spirited though, just teasing in a flirty way.

"I'm just glad I didn't throw up in your carpet, man." Sebastian said, taking a sip of his coffee and wiping a tear from his eye cause he'd been laughing so much.

"Whoa, whoa don't even go there!" Cooper said, teasing, "You're cute and all, but I don't know if I'm ready to clean up after you just yet! You'd have to at least buy me dinner first!"

They both laughed out loud, and Sebastian couldn't help but feel a bit warm inside at the small compliments that Cooper kept slipping him throughout their conversation. They didn't seem forced or fake; it felt as if Cooper actually liked him.

Sebastian didn't know how to feel about that, so he decided not to pay much attention to it. He was going to leave soon and didn't know if he was going to see Cooper again anyway. They finished eating and talking and Cooper collected the dishes, taking them to the sink. As Cooper had his back turned to him, Sebastian took out his phone and turned it on.

It was 9 already? _Shit._ As much as Sebastian hated it, he needed to leave immediately. He had 3 new voicemail messages, probably from his parents, and to be honest he would rather spoon his eyes out than listen to them.

Sebastian got up from the table, pushing his chair backwards, and the noise made Cooper turn around from where he'd started washing the dishes.

"So um... I have to go but..." Sebastian said, and Cooper frowned.

"Already?" 

"Yeah... Sorry I'm just... I have somewhere I need to be and, I'm kind of late."

"Oh, okay." Cooper said, drying his hands, "Can you give me a minute to get dressed? Won't take long."

Sebastian was confused, "Get dressed?"

"Yeah we left your car at Scandals, remember? I'll take you there."

Well, Sebastian had to admit that was nice, but he didn’t want to make Cooper drive him.

"Oh I can call a cab, you don't have to worry ab-"

"You're not taking a cab..." Cooper interrupted him, "I'm taking you, it's no problem." he said, smiling as he rushed to the bedroom to change clothes, leaving Sebastian in the kitchen, gaping.

Soon enough Cooper returned and they went to get his car. Sebastian realized Cooper lived in a really nice apartment building, only 10 floors and in a very nice residential area.  Overall his experience with Cooper since last night had been full of pleasant surprises, and it was nice to a point but it also made Sebastian feel a little wary because he wasn't used to these kinds of things.

If Sebastian ever set his sight on a guy at a club, he was very straightforward about it. He would usually just approach the guy, ask him to dance, flirt his way through the song, make out, see if it could go further or just leave it there. Whenever he had gone anywhere with guys he met at clubs, Sebastian either snuck out the place in the morning or right after 'doing the deed'. 

Certainly having a guy make him breakfast and offer him a ride to go get his car back was a ‘first’ for Sebastian. 

They didn't talk much on the way back to Scandals, the music on the radio keeping both of them distracted, until they arrived and Cooper parked a few spots away from Sebastian's car.

"So, Thanks for breakfast, and well… everything." Sebastian said, trying to play it cool as he unfastened his seatbelt and opened the door.

"Don't even worry about it, I had a great time."

"Sorry I passed out on you though." Sebastian said and they both laughed.

"Don't even worry about it, we can pick up where we left anytime, right?" Cooper said, winking, and Sebastian laughed. "Seriously, we should hang out again sometime."

"Sure." Sebastian said, feeling a little flutter of nerves on his stomach, but deciding to ignore it and give this a shot anyway, "Can I get your number?"

"Give me yours." Cooper said, handing Sebastian his phone. He punched his digits in and gave it back to him. Cooper immediately pressed send and Sebastian's phone started ringing in his pocket.

"Perfect."  Cooper said with a wide smile.

Sebastian couldn't help the big goofy smile that spread across his face as he walked to his car. He was just glad he had his back turned to Cooper, because it was almost embarrassing. Sebastian thought his night was going to be crap, but it had ended up being quite amazing, and now he had the prospect of a future outing with Cooper, which was very appealing.

Unfortunately, Sebastian's happiness lasted only for the 35 minutes it took him to drive home. Everything went to hell the second he stepped back into his house and found both his parents sitting in the living room, waiting for him.

"Oh! How nice of you to remember you have a home, young man." Came his father's sarcastic voice and Sebastian cringed, bracing himself for what was about to come.

...

Meanwhile, Cooper drove back to his apartment, feeling quite pleased with himself. He was singing along to the music blasting in his car as he parked in his apartment building, and continued whistling the tune as he took the elevator.

Cooper was feeling optimistic because everything had gone smoothly, even if it didn't quite go as he had initially expected. It had been quite the ride having to deal with a drunk and very handsy Sebastian, but Cooper was proud that he managed to pull it off. There had been quite a few times during the night when Cooper had been insecure about what he was doing, especially when he was on top of Sebastian, getting kissed and groped, hot and heavy on the couch. 

Cooper never thought he'd get so terribly aroused while kissing a guy, but figured since he was one hundred percent committed to this role he was playing, his mind had been focused on making it as realistic as possible. He guessed that perhaps he'd just underestimated the power of his own acting skills. Or at least that's what Cooper was going to keep telling himself.

Surely dragging an unconscious Sebastian from the living room to the bedroom, and managing to take off his clothes without waking him seemed like an impossible mission, but Cooper had managed to succeed too. It had been stressful as hell, because who knows what would have happened if Sebastian had woken up while Cooper was undressing him.

Well, actually... Cooper _did_ have a pretty good idea of what could have happened, but he was trying _really hard_ not to think about it. 

He still felt embarrassed at the fact that he'd had to sneak out to the bathroom right after leaving Sebastian in the bed just to jerk off. Just remembering the feeling of Sebastian's wet mouth kissing his neck and the sound of Sebastian's heavy breathing and moaning in his ear had Cooper getting a little hard again.

Cooper shuddered, trying to clear his thoughts of the memories from the night before as he walked into his room and towards the bathroom. He turned on the hot water to take a shower he desperately needed.

He checked his phone and realized Blaine had texted him, asking if he was alright, probably because Cooper hadn't gone back to his parents' house last night. So after quickly sending a reply, telling Blaine that he would be home for lunch, Cooper undressed himself and jumped into the shower.

Cooper closed his eyes and sighed as he felt the warm spray of the shower wash over him. He wanted nothing more than to relax and forget about his 'mission' for a while. Right now it was time to be Cooper Anderson again. It was time to relax and take care of himself, spend time with his family and do things he actually enjoyed. 

Later, when he could get a chance to be alone again, he would get back to scheming his next move. Cooper was certain that in no time, he would have Sebastian right where he wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and added this little story to their alerts! It means a lot.  
> Next chapter, we'll see a bit of how stuff went down with Sebastian and his parents, and a little more of Cooper and Blaine. So stay tuned ;D


	5. Chapter 5

"Sebastian where the hell were you? We called you about  _a hundred times_!" 

"I can't believe you didn't even come home last night... this is unacceptable!"

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"You're such a disgrace."

Sebastian took a deep breath and bit his lip as his parents went on and on and on. There was no use in trying to speak in that moment. It was useless to either try to respond to their questions or come up with something that would diminish their rage. Sebastian's parents were furious. But then again, that was almost always their usual state.

They were disappointed in Sebastian just for who he was. That is how it had been ever since they found out that he was gay. So any other trouble Sebastian managed to get into just added to the list of his defects and shortcomings as a son. He knew there was no point in feeling upset about it.

Sebastian was a disappointment, an embarrassment, and he didn't care... not anymore, or at least that's what he tried to tell himself to feel better.

And so Sebastian just tried to stay calm, looking down to his feet as they went on and on, berating him like a child. They were furious because he had run out on them the day before right in the middle of a heated argument with his father.

It all started when Dalton’s headmaster called Sebastian’s father for a meeting. The reason for it was that a teacher, some William Schuester from McKinley High School issued a complaint towards Sebastian for assault on one of their students, Blaine Anderson.

Sebastian had stayed silent as his father; a very composed and collected person had been deep in conversation with the headmaster. Sebastian's father was a lawyer, and he had a way with words that surely could out-do any other person in his situation. He had been so calm about the whole thing for the entire time they were in the headmaster's office, but Sebastian knew things would explode the second they stepped out of the place.

His father could fool anyone with the professional and collected facade he put up, but in reality he was an extremely volatile and irritable man. Sebastian was used to having his dad yell at him, but this time things had escalated to a physical level, and that was why Sebastian panicked and ran.

In a way, Sebastian knew he should have known better than to talk back to his dad while he was angry, but he had just been so sick of everything that he couldn't stop himself. And so his little  _"Well they have no proof so you don't have to worry about your precious reputation"_ resulted in his dad grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and slamming him against the wall.

The unexpected and sudden movement startled Sebastian. The look of sheer anger in his father's gaze as he got all up on his personal space had made Sebastian panic in a way he hadn't in a long time. His arm still hurt a little from how his dad had grabbed it forcefully when he tried to get away from him. It had gotten twisted in a bad angle when Sebastian squirmed out of his father's grasp, but he had still managed to push the old man aside and run towards the door. 

It had all happened so fast that just remembering made his head spin. Sebastian had been lucky to have his car keys on him, otherwise he would have had to run away literally on foot, and he was sure he wouldn't have been able to get really far that way. Sebastian didn't know if his dad was actually going to hit him, or if he had just grabbed him to threaten him. One thing was clear though; Sebastian wasn't going to just stay still and wait to find out. So running away had been his only choice. Unfortunately, as much as he'd like to, Sebastian knew he couldn't stay gone forever, and so that's why he was back at home, silently staring at his feet as his parents scolded him.

"You can't run away from your responsibilities, young man." His father said, yanking Sebastian's car keys out of his hand. Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but his mother interrupted him.

"You don't get to have a car anymore, you don't deserve it." She said, "You can't just run off and not come home whenever you please Sebastian... we were worried sick!" His mother's voice broke a little at the end, but when Sebastian looked at her he couldn't tell if it was because of hurt or anger. Before he could say anything to her though, she said: "You're grounded... indefinitely."

"Grounded? I'm not a child!" Sebastian protested, and his father laughed mockingly.

"Oh we  _know_  you're not a child Sebastian. Children are supposed to be pure and innocent, and you're obviously none of that..." His father's gaze was bitter and unattached when he looked at Sebastian, lips curled with disgust, "God knows where you spent the night or what kind of things you did." 

"Robert!" Sebastian's mother exclaimed, seemingly horrified by the implication of her husband's words. 

Sebastian felt his heart sink and his blood boil all at the same time, but he breathed in, trying to keep himself together.

"I spent the night at Jeff's..." Sebastian lied, "But thanks for the vote of confidence."

"We are not stupid, Sebastian." His father bit back, "You stink of booze and cigarettes, who knows what hell hole you crawled out of this morning."

And well, his dad _did_  have a point. Sebastian’s clothes smelled of cigarette smoke even though he didn’t smoke. Just being at the club would always do that, and he kicked himself for not anticipating his dad would notice.

"Sebastian, go to your room." His mother admonished before Sebastian could say anything back to his dad.

Sebastian just shook his head in complete disbelief, turned around and practically ran up the stairs to his room. He could feel his heart beating fast in his chest and the weight of everything that happened last night and today just crashing over him. He almost didn't make it all the way to his room before the tears started falling from his eyes.

Sebastian wanted to scream. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes as he slammed the door behind him, his chest tightening with frustration and despair. It felt like the world was closing in on him. But Sebastian didn't want to cry, he didn't want to give his parents the satisfaction of hurting him like he knew they wanted.

So he just lay in his bed, face down and breathing heavily, in and out, trying to ease out the pain that was pressing his chest and to clear his mind of everything. He just wanted everything to stop, especially the tears. Crying made him feel feel weak and defeated, and he hated that feeling.

Sebastian was so tired and drained that he didn't even realize when he fell asleep. He didn't wake up until a couple of hours later when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He took it out and realized it was Trent calling. Sebastian frowned, dismissing the call. He put his phone away but not even half a minute later it started ringing again. This time it was Jeff.

Sebastian sighed, exasperatedly, dismissing Jeff's call as well. It was odd though, to have them call at once. He wondered if something happened and they were trying to reach him because of it, but he really wasn't in the mood for talking to them in that moment.

Sebastian put his phone bedside him on the bed and stared at it, waiting for it to buzz again but at the same time hoping it wouldn't. When it buzzed again, Sebastian groaned and rolled his eyes; only this time it wasn't a call, but a text message from Trent.

**_From Trent Nixon:_   _Sebastian, pick up. It's important._**

Sebastian had no idea what Trent could possibly need from him on a Saturday morning, and quite frankly he didn't care. About a minute later, Trent called again, but Sebastian didn't pick up. When Trent called a third time, Sebastian was getting really annoyed and for a moment he was tempted to answer just to tell him to fuck off. But Sebastian knew his voice would sound raspy because of the crying and he really wasn't in the mood for having Trent ask him shit. So he just stared at his phone until the call went to voicemail.

Another text message came in about one minute later.

**_From Trent Nixon:_   _Sebastian, we are going to visit Blaine. Will meet at his house at 12pm, so be there._**

Sebastian couldn't believe it. Knowing how Trent and the rest of the Warblers completely idolized Blaine, Sebastian was certain they were probably going over to his house to kiss his ass and beg for forgiveness, and Sebastian wasn't willing to do that. Not now, and possibly not ever. 

It wasn't that Sebastian didn't feel bad about what happened. It was never his intention to hurt Blaine, but everything had gone horribly wrong and was now a huge mess. At first, Sebastian had spent every night thinking about calling Blaine and apologizing, but he never had the courage to do it. Especially after Blaine unfriended him on Facebook and blocked him on every other social network so he couldn't reach him.

It was clear that Blaine wanted nothing to do with him anymore. And as much as Sebastian wished he could fix things, he was too proud to admit his wrongdoing, or to even try to reach Blaine when he was obviously cutting him off.

Sebastian was shaken out of his thoughts when his phone started buzzing again, and by that point he was so annoyed that he just picked up without even checking who was calling.

"Trent, you need to stop--"

 _"Sebastian listen..."_ came Jeff's voice from the other side of the line, interrupting him,  _"this is important, so don't hang up!"_

Sebastian ran his hand over his face, wanting nothing more than to hang up, but decided against it. "What?" He demanded, not even trying to hide the annoyance in his voice.

 _"We're going over to Blaine's house in a little while..."_ Jeff said,  _"everyone's coming, and you should too."_

"Are you insane?" Sebastian deadpanned.

 _"No, we should really do this Sebastian..."_  Jeff insisted,  _"We have to apologize for what happened."_

"I'm not apologizing for something that was  _Blaine's_  fault..." Sebastian said coldly, and he just heard Jeff sigh, "The slushy was meant for Kurt, he didn't have to play hero and jump face first into it like a fucking idiot."

 _"Oh my god he cannot be serious!"_  Sebastian heard Trent say in the background, and so he realized Jeff had him on speaker. There were no words to describe how angry that made him.

"You guys are such a bunch of fucking hypocrites!" Sebastian yelled, "You were more than willing to help me pull the slushy thing off when it was meant for Kurt... You didn't give a shit then, did you?"

 _"But Sebastian.... Blaine needs surgery."_  Jeff said, pleading, probably hoping to get some sense into him.

"I know... That Santana chick told us... And then we slushied her too, remember?" Sebastian said, laughing. "All you're gonna do if you show up at Blaine's house is admit you did it. Give his parents leverage to press charges, and if they do, I'm not going down alone, because you helped me, you're  _all_ as guilty as I am."

 _"But-"_  Trent started to say when Sebastian cut him off, "What are you even going to say huh? ‘ _Hey Blaine, sorry about what happened, we were actually trying to slushy your boyfriend, not you!’_ " Sebastian said, mocking Trent's voice, "Blaine’s probably gonna kick you out, you know?"

 _"Blaine is not like that..."_  Sebastian faintly heard someone, probably Nick, say in the background.

"Well then good luck with that." Sebastian said flatly before hanging up and turning off his phone.

Sebastian stayed in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, fists clenched tightly grabbing the sheets beneath him. All the stress that he'd managed to forget with his nap suddenly came crashing back on him, and Sebastian felt like he was suffocating. He didn't know if what he just did was the right thing or not. Maybe he should have agreed to go with the guys, suck it up and face the music. But how could he show his face at Blaine's house after what happened? He couldn't, and besides, his parents wouldn't let him leave the house, and he was still so mad at them that the simple thought of even looking at them right now made him want to vomit.

No, Sebastian had to convince himself that he did the right thing; and that it didn't matter if the guys wanted to visit Blaine. They could do whatever the hell they wanted. He would figure it out later... when he didn't feel so overwhelmed, when he managed to breathe again. Which he was literally finding hard to do at the moment.

Sebastian's breath was suddenly shortening, his chest tightening up, tears filling his eyes and threatening to spill again. He turned back around, burying his face in his pillow and screaming to the top of his lungs. He frantically punched the mattress over and over again. Sebastian’s screams were muffled by the pillow, but he was still so angry and frustrated that he wasn't able to stop a few tears from spilling from his eyes.

When he finally stopped screaming, his throat felt raw. Sebastian swallowed the pain and closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. He just didn't want to think about anything anymore. Everything was just such a mess; he wanted nothing more than to forget about it all. Everything in his life just  _sucked._

 _Good things_ , Sebastian needed to think about good things. But it was hard to find them when everything else was going so horribly wrong in his life. Hours passed as Sebastian lay in his bed, and slowly his thoughts drifted to memories of the previous night. Memories of Cooper Andrews and his charming smile. 

Sebastian took a deep breath and sighed, remembering how he had been so happy earlier that day. He'd been hopeful and smitten, not angry and frustrated like he was right now. Sebastian wished he could just forget about everything that had happened and feel good again, but he felt like he couldn’t.

Then Sebastian remembered he had gotten Cooper's number, and so he knew there was a possibility -even if slim- of seeing him again. That thought made him smile a little, but he tried to not get too excited about it. He was grounded, after all.

Sebastian just closed his eyes and turned to lie on his side, hoping to get some sleep. He was still feeling horribly drained, and his stomach was starting to growl a bit, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to eat until much later, since he wanted to avoid his parents as much as possible and there was no way in hell he was sitting down to eat with them.

So no, Sebastian decided he was going to stay in bed and think of Cooper instead. Cooper Andrews, the guy that had so unexpectedly come into his life, with his bright blue eyes and strong broad arms; with his witty compliments and delicious lips. As Sebastian drifted off to sleep, he realized that maybe not everything in his life sucked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this part, with a glimpse into Sebastian's difficult home life. There was more of this chapter, but I decided to cut it here and post it because I haven't been able to finish the other part. So I'm sorry for the lack of Cooper in this, but we will see more of him in the next part, which probably will be posted over the weekend. 
> 
> I don't want to keep you guys hanging too long between updates, but real life has been kicking my butt lately. So thanks for reading and reviewing, you are awesome! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here's an update! Took me a while but it's 8,500 words so I hope that makes up for the delay :) Also, I wanted to say that the title of this fic is LYING FROM YOU, cause I've had people ask me and call it "Lying to you" but I actually called it LYING FROM YOU because of the Linkin Park song. You should go listen to it if you don't know it cause it gives me feels for this fic like you have no idea. 
> 
> Anyway... hope you enjoy the chapter!

It was a little bit past noon when Cooper pulled over the driveway of his parents' house and noticed a car he didn't quite recognize parked out front. He got into the house and found his mom reading in the living room, as usual.

"Cooper honey, you're home!" she said, putting away her book and walking up to him. 

"Hi mom." Cooper said, kissing her cheek, "Whose car is that?" He asked, pointing outside to the red Jetta. 

"Oh, some of Blaine's friends from Dalton came over to visit."

Cooper felt the blood drain out of his face "D-Dalton friends? Who?" He asked, trying hard to mask his panic with casual curiosity. 

"Yes, two boys... Trent, and I can't remember the other boy's name now but... he is tall and handsome, I think he's new." His mother said, cheekily "They're upstairs if you want to go say hi. They came just a little while ago." 

 _Tall, handsome, and possibly new?_  Cooper felt his stomach tense up with dread. Was Sebastian upstairs with Blaine? This couldn't be happening.

"Where's dad?" He asked.

"He is in his studio... why?"

"Oh, I um... actually was hoping to talk to him so, I think I will go find him, okay?" Cooper said, walking towards his father's studio and hoping he could stay there long enough so he could avoid whoever was upstairs with Blaine. 

As it turns out, Cooper's father was more than happy to have time for a 'serious talk' with his son. He really wanted Cooper to move back home so he could have a place in the family company. But Cooper had been avoiding having that talk with his dad for several months now. The fact that Cooper had to force himself to have that conversation in that moment just so he could avoid Sebastian - or whoever was upstairs with Blaine- was incredibly frustrating, but he did it anyway.

The thing was, Cooper didn't have a steady job back in LA, and even though he kept landing small commercial roles here and there, it was nothing big and so the prospect of having a 'real' job with a steady income was very tempting. Cooper wanted to stay true to his dream of being an actor, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel like he was wasting a great opportunity by refusing to work with his dad. Things were complicated, so Cooper and his father ended up having a conversation for almost an hour, and they probably would have continued if it wasn't for the fact that it was lunch time and his mother interrupted them when the food was ready to be served. 

When Cooper came out of his father's studio, he walked slowly towards the living room and stood out of sight once he heard Blaine's voice at the door, saying goodbye to his friends. Cooper cautiously walked into the living room and was extremely relieved to see that it wasn't Sebastian who had come to visit Blaine, but some other guy who he'd never seen before. 

Blaine closed the door and turned around, his face lit up the second he saw his brother "Hey Coop!"  

Cooper just smiled, putting his arm around his little brother as they walked towards the dining room.

The four of them sat down to eat. Mrs. Anderson had made Cordon Bleu with a delicious Caesar salad and steamed vegetables. Cooper didn't realize how much he missed his mother's cooking until he had the chance to try it again. It felt like home.

Lunch was going fairly well until Mr. Anderson decided to announce Cooper's agreement to take up a temporary position in the family company. By that point Cooper felt really uneasy, but he did his best to smile nonetheless. His mother smiled excitedly and congratulated Cooper, but Blaine just gave him a tight smile. Every time Cooper looked over at Blaine, he'd catch him giving him this weird looks. Sometimes it seemed like Blaine was disappointed and others he looked like he was about to burst out laughing. Cooper had no idea what was going on. He didn't know if Blaine was acting weird because of the news his father shared or if it was something else.

Once they finished eating, Cooper went upstairs with Blaine to his room so they could talk.

"So, I was going to ask how it went with your friends last night but I already have my answer!" Blaine said teasing his older brother once they were in his room. 

Cooper laughed, but didn't quite understand what Blaine meant. "Um... What do you mean?" He asked, but Blaine just shook his head before bursting up laughing. 

"Cooper, have you even looked at yourself in the mirror today?" Blaine asked, giggling and Cooper just frowned in confusion. "You have a hickey." Blaine said, still giggling as Cooper went to look in the mirror.

 _Oh, he did. Damn._  

Cooper in fact had a small hickey in his neck, right below his hairline near his left ear. He felt himself blush a bit, but it wasn't enough for it to show. Cooper hadn't noticed the hickey because he'd been in such a hurry in the morning and then he was just too relaxed to pay attention apparently.

Cooper just didn't think Sebastian had kissed him hard enough to leave any marks, but his skin had always been really sensitive. Cooper made a mental note to be more careful in the future, but for now, he had to play along.

"Yeah well..." Cooper laughed, "What can I say? Just remembering old times with a friend."

"Who was it?" Blaine asked.

Blaine's question caught Cooper off guard. He'd only said it had been a friend because he didn't want to tell Blaine he hooked up with some stranger out of some self imposed big-brother role-model duty.

Blaine asking specifics about his hook up threw Cooper a bit off his game. 

"Um, her name is Melanie." Cooper said, out of the blue. He hadn't seen Melanie in years, but she and Cooper used to date years ago after Cooper graduated high school, and so her name was the first to pop in his head. 

Blaine frowned, "Melanie Smith? Was she the red-head?"

_Oh shit, Blaine knew her?_

"Yeah..." Cooper replied, moving quickly to change the subject before Blaine asked him any more questions. "So anyway, who were your friends that came over?"

"Oh um... Trent and Jon just dropped by, completely out of the blue. It was really unexpected." Blaine seemed confused, like he still didn't believe it.

"Were they involved in what happened to you?" Cooper asked, cautiously. "Did they come to apologize?"

"Yes, kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Well, they did apologize. But it was just, a little odd."

"Why?" 

"I don't know... they came to apologize 'on behalf of the warblers' but like, why didn't the others come? You know?"

"Did they say anything about it? About the others?" 

"Sort of..." Blaine huffed, "Trent said they wanted to come, but they 'felt too bad' about what happened and thought I would kick them out or something."

Cooper raised an eyebrow, "Sounds just like an excuse to me."

"You think?" Blaine asked, and Cooper just shrugged. Blaine remained thoughtful for a couple of seconds before speaking again.

"You're probably right, I mean... sure they might feel bad but... How come none of them has done anything to reach me, especially Sebastian?"

Cooper just gave his younger brother an understanding nod. Blaine seemed disappointed and sad, which made Cooper's anger towards Sebastian and the Warblers stir inside him.

Suddenly, there was a knock in the door. As it turns out, Blaine still had more visitors for the day.

"Guys, you came!" Blaine's smile was wide and cheery as his friends came into the room.

"Guys this is my brother Cooper... Coop, this is my boyfriend, Kurt... And these are-"

"Rachel Berry!" She cut Blaine off, giving Cooper an over enthusiastic handshake and practically squealing. "We've seen you on TV! Oh my god Blaine you never told us your brother was famous!"

Blaine smiled and tried real hard not to roll his eyes, but of course Cooper didn't even notice because Rachel was all over him. "Oh and this is my boyfriend Finn!"

Finn and Cooper shook hands awkwardly. Finn just gave Blaine a confused glance as Cooper's attention turned to Kurt and Rachel, who were practically fangirling over him. 

Between Kurt mentioning how his ringtone was the jingle from Cooper's latest _Free Credit Rating[Today.com](http://today.com/)_ commercial and Rachel completely ignoring Finn and _him_ , to fawn over his older brother, Blaine was getting really irritated.

Cooper getting attention was a sore spot for Blaine half the time, but in that moment, it was ten times worse because his friends were supposedly there for _him_ , not for his brother. The only one that was half-paying attention to him was Finn, but that quickly changed the minute Rachel started talking Cooper into going to McKinley and giving the Glee Club a "master class in acting".

"It would be so amazing! Please say yes!" Rachel squealed and Kurt nodded enthusiastically, finally turning to look at Blaine, who had a pained expression on his face. Once Kurt noticed Blaine's expression he leaned to ask what was wrong, but Blaine was so mad he didn't even want to say anything.

"What do you say squirt?" Cooper asked excitedly, while Blaine was just sitting in the bed with his arms crossed.

"You guys do what you want. I'm not going to school for another week anyway." Blaine said bitterly, and when he looked up, the things he was feeling must have been written all over his face because Cooper frowned.

"Are you sure?" Cooper asked, tilting his head.

Blaine tried really hard not to let it show just how upset he really was. Rachel was jumping up and down holding hands with Kurt, and all of the sudden he wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

"Are you okay dude? You don't look so good." Finn asked Blaine, and he tried to smile, though what came out was more of a grimace.

"Yeah I just... I have a headache." Blaine lied.

"Oh!" Rachel exclaimed, "We brought you some soup Blaine, it's my dads' original recipe and I'm sure it will make you feel better."

Blaine smiled a little as Rachel pulled out the container with the soup and prepared it for him. As the attention of the room slowly turned back to Blaine, Cooper's phone started ringing in his pocket and when he saw the name that flashed across the screen he quickly excused himself to take the call in the hallway.

"Johnny!"

 _"Cooper Anderson! How are you doing man?"_  

"Great, I'm great." 

_"Listen I was calling about that thing you told me about, are you still gonna need my help?"_

"Yeah, yes of course..."

_"Good, I just wanted to ask when were you planning to do it? Cause we got a gig so I kinda have to go back to LA next week. I think I'll be there for 2 weeks but I'm not sure yet. I just don't want to leave you hanging."_

"Oh... okay, yeah don't worry. We can do it when you come back, no problem. 

_"Sure you don't want to do it before I leave? Kinda feel bad to leave you hanging for 2 weeks."_

"No, it's fine... Besides, I'm not _ready_ yet... if you know what I mean."

The guy chuckled in the other side of the line.  _"Okay... just let me know when you are."_

"Thanks man." 

Cooper hung up the phone and held it in his hand for a while, debating what to do. Johnny was a fellow actor he'd met in school and Cooper had asked him to help out with the whole Sebastian ordeal. Johnny lived in Cleveland, where he had a dance studio, but he went back to LA fairly often. When Cooper had explained his idea to him, Johnny had found it hilarious and was more than happy to engage in some "real-time acting". Cooper guessed he was just lucky that Johnny didn't really have a moral compass when it came to scheming.

 _"Anything for the family!"_ Johnny had said, and Cooper agreed with him. Or at least that was what he kept telling himself whenever his conscience started to try and make him feel bad for what he was planning to do to Sebastian.

The soft sound of voices singing pulled Cooper out of his thoughts, and he realized Rachel, Finn and Kurt were singing a song to Blaine. He smiled, feeling happy that Blaine at least had some good friends left despite the Warblers' betrayal. Cooper walked down the hallway, looking at his phone and searching for a particular contact.

Jonny's call had reminded him of the importance of _timing_ in his little mission. There was no time to waste. Cooper needed to call Sebastian and get things moving... but when he dialed Sebastian's number the call went straight to voicemail. Cooper tried again, but didn't have any luck.

It seemed as Sebastian had turned off his phone, so Cooper decided to text him instead. He just hoped Sebastian replied soon so they could meet again. 

In the meantime, Cooper decided to join Blaine and his friends again in the bedroom. As it turns out, the second Cooper walked through the door; Rachel was bouncing around begging him to sing a duet with her. Cooper smiled, feeling more than elated as they went over which song to sing. If he had been paying a little more attention, Cooper would have noticed the way Blaine's face fell from the previous smile he had into a frustrated scowl.

He really was clueless.

 

-

 

Later in that evening, the growling hunger pains woke Sebastian up. He had been tossing and turning in bed for a couple of hours, but he didn't want to go downstairs and get something to eat if it meant running into his parents.

The feeling must have been mutual, since Sebastian heard his parents having lunch, but they didn't send the maid to call him down to eat. Instead, they ate by themselves. _It is better this way._ Sebastian thought to himself as he finally got out of bed. 

He went downstairs to the kitchen and made himself a sandwich, not really being in the mood for any of the leftovers that were sitting in the fridge. The house was silent, and Sebastian wondered if his parents had gone out.

Sebastian went back to his room and ate his sandwich in bed, mindlessly staring at the TV. It was dark outside, and when Sebastian reached to the bedside to get his phone he realized it was still turned off. He guessed he should turn it on, even if only to check the time. He turned it on and threw it on his bed before heading for his bathroom and taking a shower. All the stress of the day was weighing down on him, making him feel especially uncomfortable and tense. So taking a hot long shower helped him relax, and when he returned to his room he was feeling a little better.

He sat on his bed and realized the screen of his phone was lit up and he had two new text message notifications. All lingering annoyance Sebastian had from that morning's exchange with his classmates faded when he realized the texts weren't from Jeff or Trent, but from one Cooper Andrews.

**_From Cooper:_ **

**_Hey gorgeous! What are you doing tonight? Wanna hang out?_ **

**_From Cooper:_ **

**_Is your phone dead? Or are you blowing me off? :(_ **

Sebastian wished he could smile, but instead all he wanted to do was pull his hair out. Cooper really wanted to see him again tonight, which would be pretty amazing, if it wasn't for the fact that Sebastian had told Cooper he was a sophomore at Ohio State University when in reality he was just a stupid high school brat who had just been grounded by his parents. 

Sebastian stared at his phone for what felt like hours, having no clue of what to do. The messages had been sent over 6 hours ago. Cooper probably thought Sebastian was ignoring him, and he didn't want that. 

So he decided to lie. 

**_To Cooper:_ **

**_Hey! sorry, battery died._ **

**_I'd love to hang out, but my car broke down._ **

**_How about next weekend?_ **

Sebastian sent the text, hoping it would work, but no more than a minute later he received a response.

**_From Cooper:_ **

**_If you text me your address I can pick you up, no problem!_ **

Sebastian dropped down on his bed, groaning in frustration. Cooper was being really cool about this and he was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't leave the house. If his parents returned home and didn't find him in his room they would just kill him. Sebastian really hated the situation he was in, especially when he could feel a tingle of excitement bloom inside him at the thought of seeing Cooper again. His life was full of complications.

Suddenly Sebastian heard the sound of a car parking in the driveway. He glanced out his window and realized his parents were back. He ran up to his closet, taking out the t-shirt and sweatpants he used to sleep in. He then went over to where his stereo was and connected his iPod. He set the music with enough volume for it to be heard from the hallway when his parents walked past his door on their way to their bedroom, but not loud enough to be have them yell at him.

He then returned to his bed and pulled the comforter over his legs, reaching out for a book on his bedside table. He opened it and placed it on his lap, pretending to read. He just hoped his mother would check on him before going to her room.

He waited expectantly for a couple of minutes. When he heard the faint sounds of his parents' voices in the hallway he held his breath. Then, as on cue, his mother knocked on the door and opened it slightly. 

She didn't come into the room, only half her body leaning in from behind the door. Sebastian felt uneasy, so he just glanced from his book up to meet his mom's scrutinizing gaze.

"Already in bed?" His mother asked.

"Um, yeah..." Sebastian said, shyly, "Just, finishing some reading."

His mother just nodded, and Sebastian hated the way he could see something behind her eyes, like unspoken words or something else that he couldn't quite describe. His mother looked like she wanted to say something, but when she finally spoke, Sebastian wished she hadn't.

"About what happened this morning..." She said, sternly, "I think it's best if you avoid your father for a while... for your own good."

It wasn't that Sebastian expected his mom to take his side over anything, but this was just ridiculous. Sebastian didn't say anything though; he just huffed. He couldn't really trust himself to speak when all he wanted was to yell at her.

"I'm serious Sebastian, just... stay out of his way, okay? If you want, we can even can call the school on Monday and arrange so you can board there for a couple of weeks... If that's what it takes."

Sebastian just squinted his eyes and he felt his stomach twist uncomfortably as his mother's words sunk in. She was looking at him coldly, waiting for a few seconds that stretched too long. Sebastian shook his head and looked away, he didn't want to talk to his mom when he knew it was useless. He stared decidedly at the wall until his mother closed the door again.

Just as his mom closed the door behind her, Sebastian turned to look at his phone, and in that moment, he made up his mind. Avoiding his dad while being on the same house only meant that his mom expected Sebastian to stay in his room and never come out, and well, that was just _not going to happen._

 

-

 

Back at the Anderson home, Cooper was positively fuming. Things with Blaine and his friends had gotten from nice and amicable to awkward and tense in a matter of minutes, and now Cooper had just stormed out of Blaine's room after a heated argument. 

It had been pretty one-sided, since it was mostly Blaine the one being hostile and irritated while Cooper tried really hard not to snap at him. But it still had been really awful, and actually worse than any other argument he and Blaine had ever had. Cooper was so upset, he felt helpless.

Apparently, Blaine got upset because of the attention his friends had given Cooper. Which made no sense to him. Cooper thought he was just being friendly and polite. He couldn't push the kids away if they actually admired his work, right? It wasn't his fault that Blaine was extra-sensitive about everything probably because of the situation he was in; being unable to attend school or do anything else other than staying home and resting.

After singing a couple of songs with Rachel and agreeing to go to McKinley and give a couple of pep-talks to the Glee Club, Blaine had grown visibly uncomfortable, and just when his friends were going to start telling Blaine about their upcoming plans for regionals, he had snapped and asked them to leave, claiming he was feeling tired and wanted to rest 

All the while, Blaine had been scowling at Cooper, so he knew it was just an excuse to make them leave. Cooper felt a little bit unsettled and had tried to do some damage control, telling Blaine that he would leave and so his friends could stay a while longer, but it hadn't worked. Blaine wanted to be alone, not even wanting Kurt to stay for a while longer. 

By the time Blaine's friends and boyfriend had gone out the door, Blaine was refusing to even look at his brother.

All Cooper's prodding and attempting at finding out what was wrong with his little brother had backfired on him when all Blaine did was yell at him about being inconsiderate to his feelings and making everything about _him._ Any other time Cooper would have argued back but the second he saw Blaine actually tearing up it was like a bucket of ice cold water had been dropped on his head.

They weren't little kids anymore; this wasn't a matter of "winning" a stupid argument just for the sake of childish bickering. Cooper was an adult, who wanted more than anything to fix his strained relationship with his little brother. Cooper was trying really hard to make things right with Blaine, to overcompensate for the things he hadn't done while they were growing up, and to get back his trust. Hurting Blaine's feelings was the last thing he wanted; yet apparently that was exactly what he had done.

And so when Blaine told him to get out of his room, Cooper didn't even put up a fight. He left, hoping to at least give Blaine some space to cool down, since Cooper had apparently already ruined his whole afternoon.

He left his parents home and drove back to his apartment, picking up a few beers on his way. Cooper needed to relax and take his mind off of everything that had happened that day. After a couple of hours of being bored at his apartment, he'd tried calling Sebastian again but the phone was still turned off. Cooper could even think that Sebastian had given him a wrong number on purpose if it wasn't for the fact that he had actually called that same number while Sebastian was still in the car and his phone had buzzed right in front of Cooper. So Cooper knew it had to be something else. 

It wasn't until later, when it was already almost eight, that Cooper's phone finally buzzed with a response from Sebastian. What Sebastian said about his car being busted sounded like a crappy excuse to not see him, and Cooper knew he couldn't afford to wait one whole week to go out with Sebastian again, so he was going to do whatever he could to convince him.

He'd sent Sebastian a text offering to pick him up, which Cooper knew was far fetched given that no matter all the lies Sebastian told him, Cooper knew the guy lived with his parents. But Cooper tried anyway, because he really needed to see him again if he wanted to get his plans moving.

A couple of minutes had passed and when Cooper was about to call Sebastian and ask him, another text came. A wicked grin spread across Cooper's face when he read it and saw it was Sebastian, giving him his home address and asking Cooper to pick him up at 9.

Cooper got up from the couch and walked triumphantly towards his bedroom. He was eager to get ready for another night of business.

-

 

Sebastian didn't know what he was thinking when he agreed to have Cooper pick him up, in fact he was pretty sure what happened was that he just _wasn't thinking_ at all. He had just been feeling so angry and upset all day that he was sure if he didn't get out of that house he was going to go insane.

Being grounded meant that if he wanted to go out he had to sneak out without being noticed by his parents or by the maids, so the only way of doing it was sneaking out of his house through his bedroom window, something he had become quite good at. He knew if his parents noticed he'd gone out behind their backs they would kill him. But yet there he was, climbing down one of the front porch poles and dropping to the grass, quietly walking -almost crouching- through the lawn until he was out of sight from any of the windows on his house. The driveway was huge and so Sebastian was able to hide from being seen while he waited for Cooper to pick him up.

His parents had already retreated to their bedroom, and Sebastian was counting on them not coming out until the next day. After tiptoeing down the hallway and eavesdropping near his parents' bedroom door, he realized his dad was a bit drunk. Which meant they had probably gone to the country club for some drinks with their snobby socialite friends. His parents usually did that on Saturdays whenever his dad was actually in the country. Sebastian just hoped his parents stayed in their room and would not come looking for him later. He had locked the door to his bedroom from the inside and left his iPod playing music softly in his empty room. It was nine and depending on where Cooper wanted to go, maybe he could come back a bit after midnight and not get caught.

It was a big risk, and Sebastian could feel the adrenaline buzzing through his veins as he stood on the sidewalk. The cool air of the night helped him ease his nerves a little as he waited for Cooper's blue Tucson to appear down the street.

Soon enough, Cooper appeared and when Sebastian opened the door to get into the car, he greeted him with a big and bright smile that made Sebastian's heart jump a little. Sebastian smiled back and forced all lingering stress and nerves to the back of his mind. He hoped Cooper wouldn't think anything of the fact that he was waiting for him out in the street instead of inside. Sebastian didn't want to look desperate but well, _he kind of was._  

Cooper seemed really happy to see him again and he didn't even ask about Sebastian's allegedly busted car, seeming to be more happy to just be able to pick him up even though his apartment was about half an hour away from Sebastian's neighborhood.

 Sebastian tried not to think too much into it, but his stomach was already somersaulting thinking of all the possibilities the night had for the both of them. 

As Cooper drove out of Sebastian's neighborhood, he asked Sebastian if he had already had dinner, and before he could stop himself, Sebastian said he'd barely eaten apart from the breakfast Cooper had cooked for him that morning. 

Cooper seemed surprised and even worried, and Sebastian tried to backpedal automatically, making up a whole bunch of lies about being too busy and running errands, hoping it was believable. But it was too late.

Sebastian felt like an idiot, realizing that he had screwed up any chances of going to a club, as now Cooper was determined to get him something to eat and well, clubs were just not big on actual meals or anything. They ended up going to a restaurant that Sebastian had never been to before.

"Do you like burgers? This place has the best ones in town... You need to try their French burger, it's freaking delicious!" Cooper said enthusiastically as they parked and got out of the car. "They also make great pizza, if you like that better." he added with a wink and a smile.

Sebastian just tried to laugh as they both walked into the place and found a booth near the back where they could sit and talk in peace. Sebastian took in his surroundings and realized the place was pretty decent. There was nice music being played live, but it the place wasn't as loud as a club would be. It seemed more like a restaurant-bar type of place and well, as much as he wanted to avoid thinking about it, Sebastian couldn't help but feel like more than just 'hanging out' this was actually a date.

However, the idea of being in a restaurant and being able to ‘talk more’ posed a whole new set of complications for Sebastian. Because well, he wasn't being completely honest with Cooper about who he was and that put him on edge. He tried to hide his disappointment as best as he could as he realized that being in that restaurant also meant all chances of hooking up with Cooper were reduced. They were in hick-town Ohio, after all, and that meant all public demonstrations of affection had to be avoided unless they were in a gay bar, or somewhere private.

Cooper on the other hand, was more than thrilled to be there, he wasn't lying when he told Sebastian this place had the best burgers in town. It was his favorite spot and he used to come with his friends often. Cooper made sure he got the chance to go there every time he visited. Also, he was glad to be able to hang out with Sebastian in a place where they could actually talk and 'get to know each other better' without the deafening blasts of music, the temptation of alcohol and the threat of falling into a make out frenzy with Sebastian again. 

This place was just perfect for that.

They ordered a couple of beers while they waited for their burgers to get there. They kept the conversation light and amicable as they commented on simple things like the music the band was playing and Cooper very enthusiastically told Sebastian about all the good memories he had of coming to this place with his friends.

Two beers in and Sebastian was feeling a little buzzed, probably because he hadn't eaten much in the entire day. And well, he also guessed if he wasn't really hooking up with Cooper tonight the least he could do was have a little alcohol and try to relax. However, as much as he tried, the events of the day were still weighing up on him, and the small fear in the back of his mind about his parents finding out he was gone was preventing him from being able to enjoy himself completely.

He hated that his parents could do this to him. Hated the fact that they could completely ruin his day and his chance of having fun with the guy he liked. Sebastian just hoped Cooper couldn't notice how he was really feeling inside.

What Sebastian didn't know was that Cooper was struggling too. Cooper felt like he was running out of conversation ideas and he didn't know if it was his nerves or something else, but it seemed as if Sebastian was bored or something. Cooper could sense some sort of unspoken tension and he wished he could just figure out what the hell he was doing wrong. 

Cooper started panicking inside, carefully maintaining his facade of confidence and flirting as much as he could as they ate their meals. Cooper was glad he had some time to go over his choices as they ate in companionable silence. But suddenly his phone buzzed in his pocket and when he took it out he realized he had a new text from Blaine.

**_From Blaine:_ **

**_Please just don't._ **

Cooper felt his stomach twist almost painfully. He had completely forgotten that he texted Blaine a few hours ago, back when he just got back to his apartment. Cooper had sent Blaine a quick text saying he was sorry for making him upset, figuring it would be good to let his younger brother know he was sorry even if Blaine didn't want to talk to him. But now that he read his dry response Cooper realized it might have looked like he was just apologizing in a pathetic and half-assed manner via text, and it apparently had only made Blaine get angrier.

Cooper shook his head in disbelief; it was like he couldn't get anything right. He really was off his game tonight.

"I'm sorry..."

Sebastian's words shook Cooper out of his thoughts. 

"Sorry? Why?" Cooper frowned.

"I've just... I know I'm not being particularly fun to be around tonight. I'm sorry if I'm boring you."

Cooper was confused, he had no idea what was going on but he didn't like what was happening.

"You're not... why would you even say that? Come on."

Cooper hated the fact that his internal struggles with Blaine had come to the surface and now Sebastian thought that he was the one upsetting him. Before he could even think of a way of explaining what was really going on though, Sebastian started speaking again.

"I just had a really rough day today and well… I guess it's still wearing on me a bit." He was looking down at his food, poking around with some of the fries, avoiding Cooper's eyes and that's when he realized that something was up.

"Hey, don't bring yourself down for this..." Cooper said, reaching out to put his hand over Sebastian's, not holding it but just giving it a light squeeze before removing it. When Cooper saw Sebastian's reaction to his touch he knew he'd done something right. "I've had a rough day too... that's why I wanted to hang out with you, to make my shitty day a little better."

Sebastian gave him a small smile.

"I guess I'm not doing a good job at cheering you up then... you seemed upset."

"Nah..." Cooper shrugged, "It's nothing... just, family drama." 

"Tell me about it." Sebastian said, shaking his head and taking a long sip of his beer.

"What happened? Anything I can help with?" Cooper offered. "I'm a good listener."

Sebastian blushed a little and laughed, he really didn't want to pour his own family drama on Cooper and turn this weird sort of date into a counseling session.

"It's nothing."

"It's not _nothing_... I can see it's bringing you down, I sensed you were a little sad from the moment I picked you up in front of your house." Cooper dared to say, hoping he was right. 

Sebastian's breath hitched, and it took him a couple of minutes to make up his mind about how to possibly talk about his situation without _actually_ talking about it. Because when it came down to it, this wasn't really about his parents. After all, they were always giving him a hard time one way or another, and Sebastian was used to that. The real reason everything was so messed up for him at the moment was because of what happened with Blaine.

Sebastian looked up and right into Cooper's eyes and _god_ , the guy was genuinely expecting him to just tell him what was bothering him. He was offering to listen to his troubles and it was overwhelming and scary all at once. Sebastian wasn't good at expressing his feelings, and things never quite went the way he wanted them to. But in that moment, Sebastian decided to give this a try.

"Have you ever hurt someone without meaning to?" 

Cooper was taken aback by Sebastian's question.

"Uhm... I think we all have at some point, right?" Cooper admitted, his mind automatically going back to the events of that afternoon with Blaine and how he had ruined things without even noticing his wrongdoing, until it was too late. "We're all human, we all make mistakes."

"Yeah but..." Sebastian continued, "Have you ever hurt someone so bad that you doubt there'll ever be a way to fix it?" 

Cooper's mind immediately thought of Blaine again. He had screwed up so many times with his younger brother that sometimes he did in fact think maybe he would never be able to fix things. But at the same time Cooper couldn't help but feel his curiosity growing with each word Sebastian said. Was he talking about Blaine? He couldn't.

"What happened?" Cooper asked cautiously, hoping Sebastian would tell him more.

Sebastian sighed, "Well... I hurt someone I cared about really bad and now everything is just a mess."

Cooper squinted his eyes, Sebastian suddenly seemed smaller, vulnerable, and Cooper still didn't know if he was talking about Blaine or not.

"Who was it?" He asked, trying to mask the tension he was feeling as the seconds went by and Sebastian remained pensive, looking down at his food.

"He was a friend of mine..." Sebastian confessed, meeting Cooper's eyes. "I just... I let other stupid shit get in the way of my judgment and made a mistake. I ended up hurting him not just like, emotionally or whatever, but also physically." 

Sebastian looked like it was literally painful for him to say these things, and Cooper held his breath as he realized he could in fact be talking about his brother.

"Was it bad?" 

"Yeah... it was pretty bad."

They stayed silent for a while, no longer eating but just sitting there, waiting.

"Well... Have you tried talking to him?" 

"I can't... not really."

"Why?"

"Because he ended up in the hospital." Sebastian said bluntly, and Cooper's eyes went wide. 

"I don't want you to think I'm some sort of psycho or anything..." Sebastian quickly added, "I just thought I could pull a stupid prank on someone else and ended up hurting him instead.”

"A prank?" Cooper asked cautiously.

"Yeah I put rock salt in a slushy. You know those icy drinks?"

Cooper just nodded.

"It was meant to be a joke, although I have to admit it was a pretty scummy one." Sebastian said with a self-deprecating laugh. "I just wanted to stain his boyfriend's clothes. But he saw me pulling it out and got in the way, and I ended up hitting him in the face with it instead. I honestly can be such a fucking idiot sometimes." 

Cooper was speechless, he felt uncomfortable in a weird way but at the same time it was very interesting for him to be able to see how Sebastian felt about the whole situation. Sebastian seemed to be full of remorse as he told Cooper about what happened. But if Sebastian was really sorry about hurting Blaine, why on earth hadn't he apologized yet?

_Maybe he was just full of shit._

"Well..." Cooper started saying, "If you were good friends, maybe he can still forgive you."

Sebastian looked at him skeptically.

"We weren't very close. I mean, he was always super kind to me but now he just cut me off everywhere. He doesn't want to talk to me, and I guess I deserve it... I can be kind of an asshole."

Cooper wanted to say that _yes_ , Sebastian was an asshole. But he couldn't because to a point, he understood what Sebastian was feeling. Everything that had gone down with Blaine that day still had a bitter taste in Cooper's mouth and somehow listening to Sebastian speaking about Blaine cutting him off sounded too familiar.

"Well, that makes two of us." Cooper laughed, taking a long sip of his beer and Sebastian did the same, smiling.

"What happened with you?" Sebastian asked and Cooper almost choked on the beer he was drinking.

"With me?"

"Yeah, you said you had some family drama."

"Um..." Cooper's brain railed thinking about what to say now; he had such a big mouth. "I just had a stupid argument with my brother." He said vaguely, kicking himself internally. He should have told Sebastian he had trouble at work or something more impersonal, but now it was done. 

"You don't get along?"

"Well... Let's just say it's complicated." 

"I get what you mean," Sebastian said, gesturing for the waitress to get him another beer, "I don't get along with my brother either."

Cooper didn't even know Sebastian had a brother.

"Is he older than you, or younger?" Cooper asked.

"Older..." Sebastian said, drinking the last bit of his beer, "He lives in Boston though, thank god."

They both laughed at that, and Cooper couldn't help but realize he didn't really know anything about Sebastian's life. He was just some jerk Cooper wanted to get even with. And somehow sitting in that restaurant booth, eating and drinking and talking about their personal lives felt wrong.

Sebastian told him a bit about his relationship with his brother. About how he was eight years older and how he had always made him feel like crap when they were growing up. He didn't straight out say it, but Cooper understood that Sebastian's brother and family weren't really accepting of his sexuality.

Cooper felt like he was getting a chance to actually know all these bits and pieces about Sebastian's life, and he didn't want to. He just wanted to pretend and flirt and seduce Sebastian so he could crush him later. All this heartfelt talk was making Cooper uncomfortable in a weird way and he knew he needed to change things fast.

When they left the restaurant, it was almost midnight. There weren’t many cars in the parking spot where Cooper parked his car and so he decided to make a move right then and there. Instead of getting on the driver's side, Cooper walked with Sebastian to the passenger side. Sebastian didn't even get the chance to ask him what he was doing because soon enough Cooper was putting his hands around his waist and kissing him.

Sebastian tasted faintly of beer and spices from the food he ate, and Cooper decided to focus on the feeling and taste of his lips alone, tuning everything else out. He wanted to forget as much as he could that Sebastian was actually a human being with feelings and a life and difficulties and vulnerabilities just as much as Cooper was.

Cooper could feel Sebastian was a bit taken aback by the sudden attack on his lips, but soon enough he just melted into the kiss. It was intense but they slowed down after the initial shock as they found a steady rhythm. Sebastian took a step back and Cooper pressed him against the side of the car. Cooper could feel his heartbeat picking up speed as Sebastian put his hands on the back of his neck and held him in place as he continued to suck on his lips, biting them slightly, brushing his tongue against his and making waves of pleasure run through him.

Sebastian felt like his head was spinning, it was a pleasant surprise to have Cooper put his hands on him and kiss him. They'd both had a few beers but they were definitely sober. So this was a nice change from the last time they had kissed. There was no deafening music, no alcohol blurring his thoughts. This felt more real, more intimate somehow, and Sebastian couldn't help but smile into the kiss as he felt Cooper's strong hands going up and down his sides and grabbing him firmly by the waist.

Cooper's tactic of focusing on the physical was working a little too well. He was lost in the sensations as he continued to kiss Sebastian within an inch of his life. However, as much as Cooper was trying to even think of kissing someone else, the small noises Sebastian kept making as they kissed were a constant distraction, bringing Cooper back to the reality of what he was doing.

Surprisingly enough, it wasn't off-putting at all; in fact Cooper was realizing that Sebastian's breathy moans were actually turning him on in a way he had never been turned on before. 

 _Holy shit._  

Cooper trailed wet kisses along Sebastian's jaw and down to his neck, sucking on the freckled skin and biting on it lightly as Sebastian ran his fingers through his hair. 

For Cooper, this felt like being on autopilot, letting his body take charge of his actions, and not paying attention to what his brain was trying to process out of this whole thing. Suddenly, he felt Sebastian abruptly remove his hands from his hair and pat him on the shoulder. 

"Um... Cooper, wait."

Cooper was busy trying to give Sebastian a hickey but he had to force himself to stop. “What?” He asked breathlessly. 

"We have an audience..." Sebastian whispered to his ear, and when Cooper turned around he saw an elderly couple looking at them with disgust on their faces as they got into their car that was parked nearby. 

"Sorry..." Cooper said smiling at Sebastian, who was biting his lip, smiling awkwardly. "I'd just been wanting to kiss you since the moment you got into my car earlier." 

Sebastian just laughed, feeling his stomach burst with butterflies. He still wasn't used to Cooper's constant compliments and so he just breathed in as Cooper opened the door for him and went over to the driver's side so they could leave.

When they were finally parked outside Sebastian's house, Cooper kept the engine going and out the hand break, turning to look at Sebastian expectantly.

"So, you're home!"

Sebastian smiled, "Thanks for the ride, and for dinner."  

"We should do it again sometime." Cooper said, cocking his head to the side and studying Sebastian for a reaction.

"Definitely." Sebastian responded with a bright smile.

There was a little bit of tension again, but this time it was clearly sexual. The car was big and spacious and Sebastian felt awkward all of the sudden, wishing more than anything that he could just lean over and kiss Cooper goodbye.

But Cooper was just looking at him and Sebastian decided he would have to try that some other time. He just opened the door and got out, giving Cooper a small wave as he walked towards the house.

Suddenly, the sound of Cooper's engine going off and the door of the car closing made Sebastian turn around. He then saw Cooper walking over to him quickly and before Sebastian could even react, Cooper was getting back in his personal space and looking straight into his eyes.

Sebastian couldn't even form words to ask Cooper what happened. He just felt his heart pounding violently in his chest as Cooper stood in front of him, clearly trying to say something.

Cooper didn't know what he was doing, but he knew he couldn't just let Sebastian get out of the car without having the last word.

"You forgot something." Cooper said, and Sebastian frowned, quickly palming his pockets to check for his wallet and phone. He was about to ask what, but before he could Cooper closed the distance between them, cradling his face with his hands and kissing him softly.

There was no more talking after that; they just stood in the sidewalk right outside Sebastian's house making out. Sebastian had never been more grateful for his parents’ big estate because there was a brick fence and several small trees that would clearly hide them from sight of anyone who could possibly peek through the windows of the house.

Sebastian wasn't sure for how long they stayed there, cause it felt like time stopped as they just held each other, enjoying the feeling and taste of each other's mouths and bodies pressed together. Their kissing was slow and passionate, but also steady and firm, slowly building arousal until Sebastian felt like he was painfully hard inside his tight pants.

Sebastian could feel Cooper's erection through his jeans as well, as he faintly rubbed it against his thigh each time he leaned over to kiss his neck and jaw. Sebastian could tell Cooper was trying really hard not to press it too much against him, probably because they couldn't really afford to take things further in the place they were in. Still, Cooper's hands felt hot against the skin of Sebastian's waist where he had slipped his hands under the shirt, and Sebastian was really close to losing his mind if they didn't stop or take things further.

Cooper was far-gone too, and he knew they needed to stop but somehow along the way he had lost the ability to do so. He had Sebastian practically pressed against the brick fence right outside his house, and with every second that passed Cooper was getting more and more tempted to just drag Sebastian back to his car and...

And _what?_ Fucking hell, he really needed to stop right now.

When Cooper broke the kiss, both of them were breathless and panting, and Sebastian looked completely ravished. His lips were swollen and red from all the heavy kissing, and his green eyes were dark with lust. Cooper could tell that much even when the only light around came from a street lamp a few feet away from them.

They didn't say anything for a few seconds as they caught their breath. But they didn't need to; they both knew they needed to stop before anything else happened. Sebastian was kicking himself internally for not being able to just drag Cooper upstairs to his bedroom and let him do whatever he wanted to him, and Cooper was freaking out because he was so turned on he didn't trust himself to make 'good' judgment calls anymore.

He couldn't really say that to Sebastian though, so he tried a different approach instead.

"Sorry..." Cooper said giggling a little breathlessly, "Next time perhaps we can go to my place?"

Sebastian smiled, nodding frantically as Cooper leaned in for one last peck. 

"You're amazing." Cooper told Sebastian between kisses. "But I have to go."

"Okay... it's okay." Sebastian replied. 

They said their goodbyes with the promise of meeting up again soon. And when Cooper drove away, his mind was a mess and his hormones all over the place; his erection felt painfully hard and straining inside his jeans. He needed to get home to take care of it immediately.

Sebastian on the other hand, was having a hard time figuring out how to climb back to his bedroom when he was sporting a massive hard on and he felt his legs had turned to jelly. But he knew even if he ended up falling on his ass or getting caught by his parents, sneaking out tonight had been totally worth it. The truth is, Sebastian hadn't felt this happy in years.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked the chapter, and sorry for the long wait. 
> 
> I wish I could say updates will be quicker but real life is hectic and I also have another WIP (because I'm an idiot and well... you know them plot bunnies.) So even though it might take me a while between updates I promise never to abandon this. Thanks for reading and for your lovely comments! See you next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. I'm back with an update. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I had a great time writing it. 
> 
> Also, if anyone wants to volunteer as beta I would really appreciate it :( I can't shake the feeling that I am getting mistakes posted and it makes me feel really bad. Thanks!

When Sunday came along, Cooper woke up feeling torn. He felt a weird mix of satisfaction, uncertainty and guilt. Objectively, his plan was moving along just fine, but the problem was that he wasn't quite able to shake off the guilty feeling at the back of his mind that came along with it.

The night before, when he got home, he was so hard that the first thing he had done was run to his room to get himself off. It didn't take much work for him to come, and after the fact Cooper was left feeling frustrated and even a little dirty. It wasn't that he felt bad about the act of masturbating itself. It had more to do with the fact that it had been the second time he'd had to jerk himself off because of Sebastian. He thought he was above this, that he could just 'get into character' and then snap out of it easily, but apparently his body disagreed. 

Just after he did it, he went to bed and mindlessly watched TV to try and take his mind off things. It was useless though, because at the end of the night, thoughts of sebastian still lingered in his mind. The green-eyed boy haunted him in his dreams as well and he woke up with a straining erection that just served to remind him of the mess he was getting himself into. 

He stayed in bed for a long time after waking up, debating internally about what to do. He didn't have any plans for the day, and he didn't really want to call Sebastian. 

He could probably go to his parents' house, but he still was a little uncomfortable about the situation with Blaine, and quite frankly Cooper wasn't in the mood for dealing with his little brother's temper tantrums at the moment. 

The problem was that Cooper realized that today would be his last day to rest before he started working at his father's company. And that was enough to put him in a morose mood. He was not looking forward to that at all. He was still kicking himself for even agreeing to do it in the first place. Cooper was secretly begging any higher power for his agent to call him with news of an audition just so he would have an excuse to go back to LA. 

That seemed unlikely though, as he hadn't had any callbacks in weeks. It was depressing, but that was his life and he was used to it. Cooper sighed, feeling resigned as he got out of bed. Perhaps he didn't have plans for the day, but he did have an erection that he desperately needed to take care of. 

He walked into his bathroom and turned on the shower, thinking a relaxing time under the warm spray could help him feel a little better. While he was taking his shower, Cooper's mind drifted again and he started thinking about what to do about the Sebastian ordeal today. He didn't want to see him, he didn't want to talk to him; hell, he didn't even want to think about him. But he had to. He knew if he didn't at least text him it would be weird. How was this flirting and chasing thing even work with teenage brats? Cooper felt rusty at his game. He decided he would just wait and decide later. Right now, he needed a shower. 

- 

It was almost noon but Sebastian was still in bed, he was wide-awake but didn't really want to get up yet. He had been a little startled when his mother came into his room a while ago to announce they were going to the country club. Well, _his parents were going to the country club_. Sebastian was staying home, since he was still very much grounded. 

Sebastian didn't quite understand why his mother had stopped by his room on her way out just to tell him that they were leaving if it wasn't her intention to have him come with them. But then again, there were a lot of things Sebastian didn't understand about his parents. It was better this way though, Sebastian thought to himself. He wanted to do nothing but stay in bed all day and relax before going back to school. At least if his parents weren't home he wasn't confined to his room just so he could avoid them. 

Today was actually the kind of lazy Sunday morning Sebastian usually enjoyed, with nothing to do except sleep and eat, except his mind was busy thinking about one particular guy. Sebastian was feeling good, a specific kind of good that bordered on being ridiculously giddy. He was able to go out the night before and have a great time while his parents thought he was in his room, sleeping. He had made out with Cooper right outside his house and his parents didn't even suspect. He was also able to get back to his room, climbing up the porch and to his window just meters away from his parents' own balcony and they were clueless about the whole thing. 

Sebastian felt quite proud of that accomplishment, but most importantly, he couldn't wait to do it all over again. No matter how risky it was, Sebastian wanted to see Cooper again. He wanted to kiss him hard on the mouth, run his hands though his silky hair and strong arms. Cooper was so incredible that Sebastian couldn't wait to kiss him and feel him again. Sebastian's mind was spinning just thinking about all the possibilities. After all, Cooper said they could go to his place next time they met up and Sebastian was really looking forward to that. 

He wished he could just get up and go right now, but that was the complicated thing, because he couldn't. Not really. His dad had taken away his car keys and his mom had all but threatened him to behave and avoid his dad as best as he could.  He wasn't a child anymore, but Sebastian wasn't stupid, he knew better than to cross his father these days. 

For a moment Sebastian panicked, thinking what he would do or say if Cooper decided to call him up to meet that day. So he decided to be smart and make the first move himself. Sebastian took out his phone and composed a quick text message for Cooper. 

When Cooper got out of the shower he realized his phone screen was lit with a new text message. When he picked it up from the bed and looked at it his face split into a giant grin. 

Sebastian had texted him, and luckily for him, it seemed as if Sebastian was in no position to ask him to meet up that day.

**_From Sebastian:_ **

**_How's your day? Hopefully better than mine, stuck in a family gathering and bored to death._**  

Cooper felt so happy that he wanted to scream. But he had an act he needed to keep up, so he quickly composed a reply. 

**_To Sebastian:_ **

**_Bummer. I'm home and all alone. Was about to ask if you wanted to come over. Some other time then ;)_**  

When Sebastian read Cooper's reply he didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry. In a way he was relieved to have texted him first, because if Cooper had called him first and asked him to go over, Sebastian would have had to make up some crappy excuse to hide the fact that he was grounded. 

But now he had been able to start a short conversation about their how their Sundays were going respectively, and Sebastian was able to get away with it. 

Sebastian hated how much he had to lie to get away with things, because he was starting to like Cooper, a lot. He wished he could be honest with him, but at the same time he didn't want to take that risk. After all, what would a hot 26 year old successful guy would even want with a 17 year old high school brat? 

Sebastian still couldn't believe that Cooper was actually interested in him, so he didn't want to blow it up. Even though he didn't really know what was going to happen between them, Sebastian wanted to make the most out of his time with Cooper. 

While they texted, Cooper told Sebastian about how he was going to have a really busy week ahead, with a new client coming into the company he worked for, and Sebastian made up a lie about having a big group project for one of his university courses due that week, and how busy that would keep him. 

 ** _"I hope we can meet up some time during the week."_** had been Cooper's last text.  

 ** _"Of course, call me anytime."_** Was Sebastian's answer, and he smiled sadly, because as much as he looked forward to that, Sebastian was grounded and without a car, and that was bound to make things so much harder. 

-

When Monday came along, Sebastian was in such a great mood that he almost forgot about the Warbler's stupid visit to Blaine's house. That is, until he got to his first class and had to endure Trent's judging face. Later that day, when it was time for Warbler rehearsal, things were more than awkward as the guys headed towards the senior commons where they usually practiced. Sebastian walked by the room but decided to skip it instead. He didn't want to see the Warblers, or talk to them. Not after how weird things had been lately. 

Things were extra-tense since the guys were trying to come up with something else to sing for regionals that wasn't Michael Jackson. It seemed as all the Warblers expected Sebastian to give them some sort of direction while at the same time they all resented him for what happened with Blaine. Truth is, Sebastian was slowly losing interest in the Warblers altogether.  

So he decided to skip Warbler rehearsal that day and go home instead. His mother sent the driver, Phil, to pick him up, so Sebastian had to wait for him to get there. Sebastian sighed, this whole thing was so annoying and irritating for him, but he was glad that at least his parents weren't making him take the bus. That would be even more humiliating. 

When Sebastian got home he checked his phone and realized that Cooper hadn't texted him in all day. He hated the fact that he was feeling anxious about it. He wanted to text Cooper but at the same time he didn't want to come off as needy or pushy. So he decided to wait it out. 

Later that night, when Sebastian went to bed, he tried really hard not to feel sad about the fact that Cooper didn't text him at all. 

- 

In his apartment, Cooper was lying in bed with his face down and hidden under the pillows. His phone battery was dead forgotten in his suit pocket. He had a terrible day that ended way too late. Cooper knew that working for his dad was going to be hard, and he didn't expect people working in the company were going to be thrilled to have him there, but things had gone so much worse than he expected in that first day. 

He could see the disdain and judgment in the faces of his dad's associates when he got through the door. His dad felt so proud to have him back in the company, but Cooper knew he was the only one. Sure, the assistants and some of the people in the office knew him and were fond of him, but that didn't mean Cooper didn't notice the judging looks and whispered remarks amongst some of the others. 

It was no secret how Cooper had dropped out of business school on his third year of college to pursue his acting career; and so having him back in the company had probably given people the impression that he failed. 

Cooper hadn't failed though. He refused to think his acting career wouldn't launch. He was just waiting for his 'big break'. He had plenty of work, just not the kind that made you Hollywood-famous.  He mostly did commercials but still, people recognized him sometimes, and Cooper knew it was just a matter of time until he made it big. He just needed to stay positive. He was going to get there. 

Cooper just wasn't made for office work. He couldn't stand sitting in a desk all day doing paperwork and looking at numbers and stats and reports. Just one day of being there had him hating himself. And it didn't get any better the next day, or the one after that. 

After a few days he was slowly getting the hang of things he was supposed to be doing, and his dad was more than helpful, since he obviously wanted his son to stay there. But Cooper just tagged along everyday wishing for time to fly by so he could go home. On Wednesday night his dad invited him over for dinner and so Cooper went. Things with Blaine were still awkward. During dinner the conversation was stale and Blaine kept looking everywhere else except Cooper's direction. Whenever they made eye contact, Blaine had an unreadable look on his face. Any other time, Cooper would have tried to joke along and just try to have Blaine get over things soon, but right now he was feeling so tired and drained that he didn't even try. 

When Blaine excused himself after dinner and went back to his room, Cooper stayed downstairs and talked with his parents for a while before leaving. He didn't go looking after Blaine. No, Cooper wasn't in the mood, and besides, he thought it would be wise to give his little brother some space before attempting to make amends.  

When he got home that night he was more than exhausted. He was ready to get into bed when he got a text message from Sebastian. 

**_From Sebastian:_ **

**_How's your week going? Hope work hasn't killed you yet._**  

 _Shit._ Cooper realized in that moment that he hadn't talked to Sebastian in three whole days. That wasn't good. But Cooper had just been so swamped and overwhelmed with work that he had completely forgotten about Sebastian. 

The good thing was that Sebastian had texted him, which meant he hadn't lost interest. Cooper needed to get back in the game; after all, he needed to be ready for his big reveal in less than two weeks. 

**_To Sebastian:_ **

**_Sorry I've been MIA. Work has been hell this week._ **

****

**_From Sebastian:_ **

**_Don't even worry about it. I've been really busy too. Can't wait for the weekend._**  

Cooper smiled reading Sebastian's texts, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous the situation was. Sebastian’s concept of being busy probably involved homework and tiny school things, which paled in comparison to the stress Cooper had to endure working in his father's company.

Either way, this was supposed to be about getting his mind off things, so Cooper got an idea.

**_To Sebastian:_ **

**_Lakers vs Clippers game tomorrow, wanna come over and watch?_**  

He didn't know if Sebastian was a fan of basketball or not, but seriously, who wasn't? 

**_From Sebastian:_ **

**_Sure, I'll be there at 6._**  

And so it was settled. He was going to see Sebastian again tomorrow. Cooper guessed it wasn't that bad. He was really getting swamped by work and a little acting could be a welcome distraction. He didn't want to get his skills rusty just because he was stuck at his father's company for a while. Besides, it was a school night, so Cooper knew they'd be able to just hang out and watch the game for a while without any additional complications and Sebastian would have to leave at the end of the evening. 

It seemed like a perfect plan. 

- 

Sebastian was nervous. However, it wasn't the fact that he was blatantly lying to his parents again what had him on edge; it had more to do with what he was actually going to do. He was going over to Cooper's house to watch the game. It was going to be fun and awesome, but that didn't mean Sebastian wasn't going to be prepared. He took his school backpack and stuffed a couple of condoms and lube in it, _just in case._  

Sebastian told his parents he had to work on a group project and that he needed to go to David's house for it. He knew his mom wouldn't say a thing as long as the driver did his job, since they still wouldn't give him back his car keys. 

And so Sebastian found himself getting out of his family car and walking over to Cooper's apartment building. He just hoped with all his heart that Cooper hadn't watched him getting out of the car. He instructed the driver to get back to his house and that he would call him once he was done, but he had refused. Apparently, Sebastian's mom instructed him to stay outside and check if Sebastian didn't sneak out or something. It was pathetic and incredibly annoying. 

Sebastian knocked on Cooper's door and he felt butterflies explode inside his stomach when the door opened and he saw Cooper still dressed in a finely tailored suit. _God_ , Sebastian wanted nothing more than to pin him to the wall and take it off of him. But he refrained, smiling as best as he could as Cooper welcomed him inside.

"Perfect timing! I literally just came back from work." Cooper said and Sebastian smiled as he sat down on the couch. "Get the TV and I'll go change real quick."

Sebastian tried not to be too disappointed when Cooper closed his bedroom door, so he turned on the TV so they could watch the game instead. When Cooper came back, he was dressed in more relaxed clothes. He was wearing a pair dark blue jeans and a loose fit Lakers jersey. 

Sebastian snorted when he saw him, and Cooper just winked at him as he sat beside him in the couch. This was going to be fun. 

They watched the game and ate chips, drank a couple of beers and had a good time overall. Sebastian was having a great time, and he could tell Cooper was too. They were able to just sit back and relax. Making small conversation between the game, getting excited with every score and just enjoying each other's company overall. Cooper was naturally flirty and that helped Sebastian relax, since he didn't feel like he had to put up a lie while they were just sitting there, having fun. 

As much as Sebastian was enjoying himself, he couldn't help but keep glancing at the clock in the wall, checking the time. By the time the game ended, it had been two and a half hours, and Sebastian didn't know how long he had before his mom started calling him to see where he was. For a moment, Sebastian wondered if he could turn off his phone, but at the same time he dreaded just thinking about his mom calling Phil and asking where they were. He would rather die than have his mom storm into Cooper's apartment to drag him back home.

It was a tough game, but the Lakers won, barely managing to keep the three-point advantage until the last few seconds of the game. When game finally ended, Cooper cheered before turning around to grab Sebastian, planting a wet kiss right on his lips. 

Sebastian was a little startled by the unexpected smooch, but it happened so fast and he couldn't do anything but just laugh as Cooper continued to babbled excitedly about the Lakers' victory. The gesture itself had been just so natural that Sebastian felt something warm spread inside him. 

Cooper was having a great time. He was so glad to be able to just watch the game and take his mind off everything that had been smothering him that week. He was so absorbed in the thrill of the game that for a moment he was able to forget about the stress in his mind and just enjoy Sebastian's company instead. They were like two friends watching a game, making comments and cracking jokes here and there. Cooper had three beers and Sebastian only had one, but Cooper seemed to be in such a great mood that he didn't even think twice before he just turned to grab Sebastian's face and kissed him out of the blue. 

The thing is, Cooper had not missed the way Sebastian kept looking at the clock, and he wondered if it was because he had a curfew. Cooper had the slight suspicion that Sebastian would be leaving his apartment soon so he decided to quickly make a move. Sebastian was visibly startled by the kiss even though it was obvious he tried not to let it show. Cooper was glad to be able to surprise him. To be honest, Cooper was just in such a great mood that he never wanted that moment to end, he wished he could just watch more games and drink beer and never have to worry about his dad and the stupid company ever again.  

He just wanted a break from everything. So after their laughter had died down and they were both just left there staring at each other, Cooper decided he would rather not talk at the moment, but just have a little fun instead. 

"It was a great game." Sebastian said, his laugh melting into a surprised smile as Cooper leaned in to kiss him. The kiss was slow and gentle, but firm, as Cooper put his hand behind Sebastian's neck to hold him in place. He let his fingers stroke the short hair in the back of Sebastian's neck, and tried to focus on the feeling of his lips alone. 

"It was more than great, it was amazing." Cooper whispered against Sebastian's lips between kisses. He really didn't want to talk right now, he didn't want to think; he just wanted to take some time to feel good.

Sebastian stomach flip-flopped as he felt the warmth of Cooper's mouth over his own. Cooper's lips were soft, he tasted faintly of beer, and he smelled wonderful even after a full day of work. Everything about the moment was perfect, and as their lips moved together, Sebastian was able to completely forget about the time, about his parents and about getting back home.

Sebastian turned his body to the left as he felt Cooper's hands looping around his neck. The way Cooper was softly touching his jaw and the back of his neck was incredibly relaxing and also arousing. There were no more words after that. Cooper and Sebastian just got lost in the feeling of their lips moving together, their tongues brushing against each other and the small, breathy moans that escaped their mouths every once in a while. 

Sebastian put his hand over Cooper's thigh and he didn't miss the way Cooper's breathing got harsher and he put his hands over Sebastian's waist, bringing their bodies closer together and deepening the kiss. 

Kissing Cooper was amazing; the rhythm was steady, and slow. There was no rush or desperation like the last time they were together. With each second that passed they moved closer together, hands roaming around their backs and waists. 

Sebastian's hands were firm in the back of Cooper's neck now, running though his hair and pulling gently every now and then. It felt so good that Cooper got lost in the sensations, completely shutting out his mind. His hands were firm, holding Sebastian's waist and squeezing it lightly. Suddenly Cooper felt Sebastian shift his mouth away from his but before he could protest or even say anything, Sebastian started trailing kisses along his jaw and down his neck... And in that moment Cooper was just _gone._  

He gripped Sebastian's hips and leaned over, searching for Sebastian's neck; using the weight of his body to push Sebastian so he would lie on his back. Cooper heard Sebastian's breath hitch ever so lightly when he started mouthing at the sensitive skin of his neck. The lights were on, and with half lidded eyes, Cooper could see tiny freckles along Sebastian's neck and collarbone. 

Sebastian's hands were now stroking up and down his back in a lazy rhythm, and Cooper had one hand on Sebastian's neck and the other one down on his side. The position they were in should feel a little awkward, with Sebastian's legs hanging down from the couch but they quickly settled so Cooper was lying on top of Sebastian instead. They just tangled their legs together as Cooper propped himself on his elbows and continued to suck on Sebastian's neck. 

Cooper could feel himself getting increasingly hard with every minute that passed and he could also feel Sebastian's half hard cock pressing against his thigh. That alone should have been a sign for Cooper to slow things down but in all honesty Cooper was too immersed in the feeling of the moment to really be able to think about anything. This was just what he needed, to take his mind off things and just let himself feel good for once. 

He didn't want to think about how wrong this was, he didn't want to think about what this meant. Most importantly, Cooper didn't want to stop kissing Sebastian... ever. 

Sebastian felt like he was in a haze. He completely lost track of time, not even caring for how long Cooper and him had been kissing in that couch. It felt like hours and Sebastian knew it was getting late but he just didn't care. All coherent thoughts and even the loud noise of the TV were completely shut out by the intoxicating feeling of having Cooper on top of him, kissing him hard and passionate. Sebastian wanted more; he _needed_ more. 

Sebastian slipped a hand under Cooper's shirt and touched the hot skin of his waist. He slid his hand up and reveled in the feeling of every line of muscle and soft skin he could reach under the fabric of Cooper's Lakers jersey. He could feel Cooper shiver with every stroke of his hands over the skin of his back and side, and just when Sebastian was about to grab the hem of Cooper's shirt to take it off, his phone started buzzing inside his pocket. 

Cooper felt it too, and Sebastian wanted to punch himself in the face when he felt Cooper's mouth and hands stop what they were doing. If the phone had been on the table or on his backpack, it wouldn't be interrupting them. 

"That thing scared me..." Cooper laughed, resting his forehead over Sebastian's shoulder while he quickly took out the phone from his pocket. 

"Sorry." Sebastian laughed, but his smile quickly faded once he saw his phone and realized he had one missed call from his mother. _Shit._

Cooper saw Sebastian frown and he _knew_ something was up. "What's wrong?" 

"Um... it's just..." Sebastian stumbled upon his words, "The guys I... my group for the project I told you about. We were supposed to meet tonight... I completely forgot."

Cooper knew it was bullshit, and that it was probably Sebastian's parents wondering where the hell their son was. But he didn't say anything, deciding to look disappointed instead. 

"So, you're leaving?" Cooper gave Sebastian his best heartbroken face. Truth is, he didn't even have to fake it. Kissing Sebastian felt so good that Cooper wanted to do it for a while longer. 

"Yeah... um. Sorry." Sebastian mumbled apologetically.

"It's okay... When can I see you again?"

Sebastian smiled as they both started getting up from the couch. "Are you free tomorrow night?" Cooper asked again, taking Sebastian off guard. 

"Y-yeah." 

"Cool, then I'll call you and maybe we can go out somewhere." 

"That'd be great." Sebastian said with a tight smile, wondering what the hell he had just done. He had no plans for tomorrow, but he couldn't just go out with Cooper while was grounded. 

They kissed again, soft and chastely on the lips right before Sebastian left. And when he was gone Cooper was left alone with the thoughts he had been trying to push away all evening. He sat on the couch and noticed it was still warm from the heat of Sebastian's body. Cooper lay down in the same place where Sebastian had been just seconds before and sighed, looking up at the ceiling. His erection was softening and he knew if he just stayed there and waited it out he would be able to get over it. 

But the thing is, Cooper wasn't sure if that is what he wanted. He closed his eyes and licked his lips, and for a moment it was like he could still feel Sebastian's mouth over his own. He remembered the amazing feeling of Sebastian's lips as he had nipped them with his teeth, the sound of his breathing close to Cooper's ear while he had been busy sucking marks along his neck, and the touch of his hands as it trailed over his skin. It had truly been an awesome make out session, and Cooper felt like his head was still spinning from it. Cooper really hoped he would get to see Sebastian again tomorrow.

Lying there on that couch, Cooper laughed at his own silliness. He should know better than to let himself get carried away like this. And there was a part of his mind, the rational part, that knew he was only setting himself up for disaster, but quite frankly, Cooper would rather play pretend for a while longer and focus on Sebastian if that meant having a break from the stress that his life had become lately. 

Just thinking about what Friday morning would bring had Cooper hating himself all over again. He had a 9am meeting with the board of directors and he wished he could avoid it altogether. So seeing that he just couldn't, de decided to go take a shower and pretend he was still Cooper Andrews instead. This would be the third time he was going to jerk off because of Sebastian, only this time, Cooper couldn't find it in himself to give a damn.

- 

The second Sebastian got into the driver's car he called his mom. She was irritated, asking where the hell he was. Even though she wasn't full out yelling at him, Sebastian could tell she was upset and so he had to swallow his pride and apologize meekly, telling her that they had taken a bit longer than expected because they were a little distracted watching the game. His mother was still mad, but at least it looked like she believed him. 

When Sebastian got home, he found his mom waiting for him. His dad was nowhere in sight, probably already upstairs in his room. Sebastian moved to the kitchen to make himself a sandwich, feigning being hungry. He wasn't really hungry but he was feeling a bit weirded out by his mom at the moment and wanted to get away from her. But as it turns out, she tagged along with him and sat across him on the kitchen island.  

This was weird; his mom wouldn't normally wait for him or want to make small talk while he ate dinner. So Sebastian knew she must have something to tell him, and he was dreading it already. 

"We're going away tomorrow. Your dad and I." She stated; eyes fixed on Sebastian.

"Going away?" 

"Your father has a meeting in D.C. on Monday, so were spending the weekend there." 

Sebastian just nodded silently, pretending not to care, focusing on finishing his sandwich and sitting down to eat. They remained silent for a couple of seconds as Sebastian took a bite of it. 

"When are you coming back?" Sebastian asked, trying to appear nonchalant about it.

"We still don't know... Could be Tuesday or Wednesday. You know your father, there's no way of knowing if he will need to stay longer."

Sebastian focused on his food, trying his best to look uninterested in his mother's words. He could feel his mother's scrutinizing gaze on him, but he didn't care. Sebastian was feeling suddenly optimistic about the prospect of being alone for the weekend. 

"You're still grounded Sebastian." His mom blurted out suddenly, making Sebastian look up from his meal to give her a skeptical look. "Just because we won't be around doesn't mean you get off your punishment. It still stands."

Sebastian just nodded, biting his tongue from spitting out a bitter response. 

"If you need to go anywhere, Phil will take you. And he has strict instructions to report to us where he drives you and when. And I will be calling home every night, so I expect you to pick up the phone." 

He felt like such a kid, this was ridiculous, but he wasn't going to protest. 

"I expect you to comply with this rules Sebastian, so please behave while we're gone, will you?" 

"Yes, _mother._ " 

Sebastian felt so mad he couldn't even eat anymore, so he just stared at his mom for a brief second before excusing himself. Taking his sandwich upstairs to his room even though he had no intention of finishing it. His mom was delusional if she thought she could manipulate him all the way from D.C. Sebastian was clever, and smarter than his parents would ever know.

-  

When Friday came along, Sebastian was distracted all day long, unable to focus on school, thinking about what he and Cooper would do that night. His parents were leaving for D.C. at noon, so Sebastian would have his freedom back. His parents didn't know this but Sebastian had his ways to always get what he wanted. He had bribed Phil before, and so he knew doing it again would be a piece of cake. Sebastian's parents were arrogant and sometimes even rude to the maids and other people working for them, but Sebastian always made sure to be extra polite and charming, not just out of the goodness of his heart but because he knew that way he would have them on his side whenever he needed it. 

The maids liked him better than they did his parents, and Sebastian would make sure to make it up for them with a little tip so they would cover for him. 

Cooper on the other hand, was having the worst Friday of his life. His 9am meeting had lasted almost 4 hours, and they had a lot of stuff to do after that so he ended up only being able have a quick snack in lieu of a proper lunch at 3pm. All his hopes of getting out of the office early were thrown down the drain when he realized it was 6pm and he still had a lot of stuff to do. He didn't want to have to work on Saturday, but it looked like that was going to end up being the case. 

When he checked his phone he realized he had a few new texts from Sebastian. They had exchanged a couple of texts during the day, in the few moments Cooper had been able to breathe; but they hadn't decided on what to do or where to go tonight yet. Cooper was at a loss of what to do. He just felt so tired, but he didn't want to cancel. Cooper just sighed, deciding to call Sebastian instead of texting him. 

"Hey handsome..." 

 _"Hey, how are you?"_  

"Uh..." Cooper tried to laugh "Not so good." 

 _"What happened? Are you okay?"_  

"Yeah, I'm fine. It’s just I'm just still at work... It's been a crazy day and I think I have to stay for another hour or so."

 _"Oh... that sucks."_  

"Yeah, tell me about it. It's been so crazy I haven't even had a proper lunch yet." 

 _"You sound exhausted."_  

"I'm starving too."

They stayed silent for a while before Sebastian broke the silence. 

 _"So, you have to stay late?"_  

"Unfortunately."

 _"Oh... okay. Listen if you can't go out tonight I'll understand, maybe we can get together some other time."_  

Cooper was torn. He didn't know how much longer he would have to stay, but at the same time he didn't want to cancel. 

"No, I really want to see you." Cooper heaved a sigh "I just don't know what to do." 

 _"Well... call me when you're done and maybe we can just hang out. You can come to my place if you want to, or I can go to yours. Whatever works best for you.”_  

Cooper was a bit taken aback by Sebastian's invitation to go over to his house. Didn't he live with his parents? Either way, Cooper was too tired and wanted nothing more than to go home and relax. He looked at the time and weighed his options... "If we could just go to my place it'd be great... I think after this crazy shit day a quiet night in with you would is just what I need." 

 _"Sounds good."_ Sebastian's smile was evident through his voice. 

"Great... Meet me at my place at 8?" 

 _"Sure, I'll call you when I get there."_  

"Okay." 

Cooper hung up and got back to the pile of paperwork standing on his desk. _He couldn't wait to get out of the office._  

-

Sebastian arrived at Cooper's house at 8 o'clock.  He thought they would be going out to a club or something, but things ended up being better this way because his mother had called home at 7, just before heading out for some fancy dinner party with his father, and Sebastian had pretended to be sleeping, answering with a raspy voice and telling his mom that he was going to sleep early cause he had a headache. Still, he had programmed his home line to redirect the calls to his cellphone in case they called again, which was unlikely.

He knocked on the door but there was no response. So he decided to call Cooper. 

"Hey, are you home yet? I'm at the door." 

_"Shit... No, I'm still in the office, but I'm headed to my car now."_

"Oh... okay then, I'll just-" 

 _"No, listen."_ Cooper cut in, _"I'll be there in about 20 minutes or maybe less but, I think there's a key under the potted plant. I put it there ages ago, if you find it you can let yourself in."_

"Are you sure?" Sebastian asked, already reaching down to look under the potted plant. He found the key and opened the door.

 _"Yeah, I'll be there soon."_  

"Okay, see you soon."

Sebastian got in and turned on the lights. The apartment was tidy and clean and Sebastian wondered if Cooper had someone come clean up for him or if he kept it so nice himself. He walked around for a while, feeling a little out of place and not wanting to intrude, but at the same time feeling his curiosity bubble inside him. 

The apartment seemed kind of empty and impersonal, like Cooper had just moved in. There were no family pictures or books in the shelves. Sebastian found it odd, but then again, he still lived with his parents and had no clue of what an actual bachelor's apartment could look like. 

He sat in the couch and waited for a while. Then he remembered how Cooper told him that he hadn't had a proper lunch. He knew Cooper would be hungry when he got home, so he decided to order something. 

Twenty minutes later, Sebastian heard shuffling coming from behind the door and he quickly got up to greet Cooper who looked just plain exhausted but handsome as ever in a dark grey suit. Sebastian took a second to just appreciate how good Cooper looked before reaching out to grab him by the tie, pulling Cooper forward and claiming his mouth in a hungry kiss. 

Cooper was surprised by Sebastian's welcoming but was more than eager to reciprocate, dropping his suitcase in the doorway as he felt Sebastian push him backwards, causing him to close the door and pinning him against it.

His hands immediately reached for Sebastian's waist, sliding them under the shirt he was wearing and touching every inch of skin he could reach. Cooper felt a rush of excitement and arousal shake him all over.

"God I missed you." He whispered before he could even stop himself.

"You saw me yesterday," Sebastian teased, smiling between kisses. 

"It was a fucking long day okay?" Cooper laughed, using his body to shift them around so he was the one who had Sebastian's pressed against the wall. His fingers teased the waistband of Sebastian's jeans, right under the thick press of his belt. Cooper didn't even know what he was doing, but he was just letting his instincts take over, desperate to release all the tension from the stressful day of work and just _feel good_ for once.

Before they could get any further, they were interrupted when the bell rang.

"Oh... the food's here!" Sebastian announced, kissing Cooper one last time before squirming out of his grasp to go get his wallet from the living room. 

"Food?"

"I ordered Chinese. You like Chinese right?"

"Chinese sounds awesome right now." Cooper smiled, he was positively starving.

They sat down in the living room, eating the food straight from the containers. Cooper was so glad to finally be able to eat. Every bite felt like heaven in his mouth. They ate rice noodles and Moo Goo Gai Pan, which was actually Cooper's favorite thing. They drank a couple of beers as Cooper complained to Sebastian about the hellish day he had at work. Sebastian sympathized, nodding every now and then and the conversation between them flowed easily. Cooper felt himself relaxing and the food made him feel so much better. He hadn't realized how hungry he was until he was able to eat.

Cooper had long ago discarded his suit and changed into comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt, much to Sebastian's disappointment. He was amazed at how incredibly sexy Cooper looked in his businessman attire. 

After eating, they stayed for a while just talking and drinking beer. Sebastian felt slightly buzzed and happy to just see Cooper relaxed and happier than when he first walked through the door earlier. 

Cooper was feeling really good. He felt sated, but not stuffed, and so he was just able to enjoy himself, drinking beer and talking about nothing in particular. The TV was on and Sebastian and Cooper mindlessly watched it as they talked about the upcoming basketball games, already making plans to meet up again to watch them together.

It didn't take long for their amicable talking to turn into kissing, and soon enough Cooper and Sebastian were pressed against each other, practically devouring each other's mouths on the couch. The kissing that had started slow and languid had now turned eager and even desperate. 

Cooper had been waiting for this moment all day, even without quite admitting it. He had already decided in his mind to get over his own doubts and insecurities about this whole thing and just focus on the physical sensations of it all. Kissing Sebastian felt so damn good that Cooper was just lost. He reveled in the feeling of Sebastian's mouth and tongue, and the touch of his hands going up and down his back as they were pressed together in the couch. Every touch and taste was electric, and there was something foreign and exciting about it that Cooper couldn't quite put his finger on. He didn't know what it was about making out with Sebastian that was so amazing, and he was in no condition to do any serious thinking in that moment. He couldn't let himself think right now, he just wanted to  _feel._

They were almost in the same spot on the couch as they had been the day before, only this time Sebastian was on top of Cooper, his hands grabbing onto Cooper's neck and hair as Cooper was busy running his hands up and down Sebastian's back. 

Cooper felt himself getting increasingly hard, the blood flowing straight to his cock with every touch of Sebastian's tongue against his own. Before Cooper could stop himself his hands had already traveled down to grab Sebastian's ass, squeezing it tightly and pushing his hips down to meet up with his own. Sebastian kept letting out this tiny breathless whimpers every time Cooper squeezed his ass, and Cooper was quickly losing control. 

He didn't even realize how it happened but soon enough both of them were shirtless and rutting against each other on the couch. For a split second Cooper would have been able to just close his eyes and pretend he wasn't doing this, but the reality of the situation hit him straight in the face when he felt Sebastian's head drop down and start tracing his tongue over one of his nipples. 

"Fuck!" Cooper moaned, arching his back and only managing to grind their crotches closer together.

He reached down to pull Sebastian's hair, hoping to get him off his nipple to stop him and get him back to kissing, but Sebastian just took it as some sort of encouragement. The look on his eyes was almost devilish as he sat up, reaching down and sliding his hand under Cooper's sweatpants and underwear to get a firm hold on his cock.

 _Holy shit._ Cooper's mind froze as he realized just what Sebastian's intentions were. He panicked for half a second but was unable to do anything to stop Sebastian from kneeling in front of him and quickly taking his dick all the way into his mouth.

_This can't be happening. Oh fuck! It’s actually happening._

Cooper couldn't say anything out loud, only managing to let out a desperate groan as he felt Sebastian mouth and tongue working up and down his length. His mind went blank and all his senses collapsed into overdrive as Sebastian sucked and licked his cock, making obscene noises as he worked him all the way down his throat.

Cooper's moans were so loud they almost sounded like sobs. He couldn't believe how good Sebastian's mouth felt but at the same time he felt like the worst person in the entire universe. He knew he shouldn't have let things get to this point but now he couldn't stop Sebastian even if he wanted to. 

Sebastian loved giving head, but he'd had so few opportunities to fully enjoy it in the past. Right now was different though, cause he wasn't in some club bathroom stall; or in a smelly locker room at Dalton. He could actually enjoy himself and make all the noise he wanted. He could tell how his humming and moaning affected Cooper as well. Sebastian loved the sexy and desperate noises that were coming out of Cooper's mouth every time he moaned around his cock. 

He put out his tongue and licked up the underside of Cooper's cock, mouthing at the head for a brief moment before trailing his tongue down all the way to his balls. Cooper almost screamed, biting his lips as he arched his back, clearly trying to hold back his impending orgasm. It was the hottest thing Sebastian had ever seen, and he had to admit he was close to coming too, just from the feeling and thrill of what he was doing. Cooper was _loud_ , and Sebastian was sure that was part of why he felt like he was about to come in his pants without even touching his own dick.

Cooper could feel himself getting closer and closer to the edge, but he couldn't even look at Sebastian. He wanted to cry and die but _holy shit_ he hadn't felt this good in ages. His mind was a mess of conflicting thoughts and emotions that were suddenly shut out when Sebastian grabbed the base of his cock with one hand and began to suck on it eagerly, going faster than before. 

Sebastian quickly reached down to unbutton his jeans and pulled out his cock so he wouldn't come in his pants. He didn't even have to stroke himself much because before he knew it Cooper was coming, spilling hot and salty down his throat, and in that moment Sebastian reached his own orgasm and found his release.

Cooper felt like every fiber of his being was on fire in that moment. He briefly glanced down and saw how Sebastian was diligently swallowing his come. Cooper snapped his eyes shut; feeling like the room was spinning around him.

This had been definitely one of the best orgasms Cooper had ever had, and he wished he could enjoy it, but the truth was that even with how high and sated he felt from it, Cooper had never hated himself more than in that moment.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... that happened. What did you guys think? Let me know :D and I'll see you next time!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the warnings I added in the tags above the story. This goes for this and future chapters. Keep in mind because of the nature of the prompt things are about to get quite a bit fucked up inside Cooper's head and well... I'm gonna stop now and let you read. Thanks for leaving lovely comments!

Cooper lied awake that night for a good couple of hours after Sebastian left, replaying the scene over and over. The way Sebastian had just knelt in front of him and worked his dick with his mouth was permanently imprinted on his mind, just as the feeling of his tongue was imprinted on his skin. Cooper never thought things would get this far, but they did, and he knew it was his fault. 

He felt bad, in a way, and that was seriously messing with his head. The last couple of days Cooper had hung out with Sebastian, he actually enjoyed his company… _a lot._ Aside from the fact that Cooper was using Sebastian to get his mind off work, he couldn't deny that they got along very well. Sebastian was fun to be around, and having spent more time with him lately had shown Cooper that Sebastian was a person, with personality quirks and a sense of humor and not just some evil asshole he had to get even with.  

Cooper was seriously starting to doubt his motives, and his willpower to keep up this facade. Why was he doing this in the first place? 

 _Blaine_ , he was doing this for Blaine… at least that is what Cooper kept telling himself. But Blaine didn't even want to talk to him right now, so what was the point? He'd been trying so hard to do something for him, to hurt the one who had hurt his brother, but had he been right to plan this? Would it even make a difference? Would Blaine feel good knowing Sebastian had been heartbroken and humiliated? Would he even find out? 

The more Cooper thought about it, the worse he felt about the whole thing. He wasn't sure if he could do it anymore. What if Blaine found out about what he did once he got through with it? Was it a good idea to keep going with his plan? No, Cooper had to admit that his whole scheme was a really stupid and deplorable thing. Besides, he kept remembering that night in the restaurant when Sebastian had told him about the situation, with "his friend"… which had obviously been about Blaine. Sebastian seemed to feel bad about the whole thing, and Cooper wondered if maybe it had just been a stupid mistake like Sebastian had said. Maybe Sebastian had truly never meant to hurt Blaine and Cooper was in the wrong for casting him as the devil's spawn because of it.  

Whatever it was, there was something Cooper knew for certain. He couldn't do it anymore. 

As much as Cooper hated to admit it, he was starting to like Sebastian; and well, he specially liked the things they did when they were in each other's company, but it was wrong, Cooper knew deep inside him that it was wrong. 

So Cooper decided then and there that he was going to stop. He was going to break things off with Sebastian as soon as possible. When he finally managed to fall asleep, Cooper did so with the resolve of breaking things off the next day. After all, he had already agreed on going out with Sebastian. 

- 

The next morning, Cooper was feeling slightly better. He knew it was going to be a tough day, but he was more than ready for it. Today was going to be the day that he did things right.  

Unfortunately, Cooper had to take a quick trip to the office to arrange some things he couldn't finish the day before. However, he went in there completely determined to be efficient and be done in a couple of hours, which he succeeded in doing. His dad called him when he was about to leave the office to check if he had been able to finish and to invite him over for lunch. 

As he was driving over to his parents' house, Cooper could feel himself feeling more determined than ever. He was going to do things right today, starting with Blaine. He wondered if Blaine was still going to be acting distant towards him like the last time. He hoped not, after all, they hadn't spoken in days now. It didn't matter though, Cooper was feeling so determined that he was going to just talk to Blaine and apologize so they could be on good terms again. 

When Cooper got to his parents' house, his mom greeted him warmly, telling him lunch would be served soon and that his dad was in his studio, and Blaine in his room. The sooner the better, Cooper thought to himself as he rushed up the stairs towards his younger brother's bedroom. 

The door was open, and Cooper stood in the doorway for a while, looking inside as Blaine had his back to him, sitting on his desk and seemingly writing something on a notebook. 

After a few silent seconds of just standing there, contemplating his little brother, Cooper knocked on the door. 

"Coop… hi." Blaine said, a little startled to se his brother there. 

"Hey… can I come in?" 

"Um… sure." 

The awkwardness was palpable, but Cooper wasn't going to let that deter him from his goal. He stood in front of the bed as Blaine just turned on the recliner chair he was sitting in. They both just looked at each other, hesitant on how to start. 

"Listen, I just wanted to talk to you…" Cooper started, "I know things have been weird ever since we had that argument, and I'm sorry. I really am, Blaine, you're my brother and... It was never my intention to make you feel bad. I just-" 

"No, I know… I'm sorry too." 

"You don't have to apologize squirt, I was the one-" 

"No I do." Blaine insisted, "You tried to apologize before and I just shut you off. I'm sorry about that." 

"It's okay… I just don't want us to be distant. You're my little brother." 

Blaine smiled at that, standing up from the chair and walking up to where Cooper was still standing in the middle of his room. 

"You're such a cheese ball." 

"You love me." Cooper teased, and Blaine just rolled his eyes and laughed as Cooper pulled him into a tight hug. 

Cooper felt like a heavy weight had been lifted up from his shoulders. He'd been ready to deal with a hostile Blaine, but instead things had gone completely different. He felt better already, knowing that he had made the right choice. Nothing else mattered to him except having a good relationship with Blaine. That is why he had come to Ohio in the first place.  

They sat in the bed and talked for a while before their mom called them down for lunch. Cooper was glad to be able to eat, cause he was starving. 

"So… what have you been up to?" Blaine asked as they walked out of his room and down the stairs.  

"Oh, not much. Working a lot. It's been pretty crazy at the office with dad." 

Blaine gave him a tight smile. 

"You haven't come around to the house much… was it because of me?" 

"What? No… No!" Cooper quickly tried to say, "I've just been busy, and well, also catching up with a few local friends, you know." It was all lies though. Cooper had been avoiding his parents' house because of the strained situation with Blaine, he just didn't want to admit it. 

"Catching up with Melanie?" Blaine teased, looking at his brother and squinting his eyes.  

Cooper just laughed, playing along with it. After all, he never wanted Blaine to find out what he had been _really_ doing the past few days. 

"Yeah… Melanie's pretty great." 

Cooper didn't like lying to Blaine, he felt like every lie was a drop in a glass that would soon be full and spill to ruin everything. He really needed to stop with the sneaking around, and scheming. He couldn't wait for tonight so he could see Sebastian and end things. 

He was going to wipe his slate clean and leave it all behind. 

- 

After spending most of the afternoon at his parents' house, Cooper went back to his apartment. He needed to get showered and ready for his night out with Sebastian. 

He'd gotten a few texts from Sebastian during the afternoon, asking if they were still on for tonight. And they were. 

Cooper didn't want Sebastian to come to his place tonight though; he couldn't risk getting caught up and doing something stupid again. He needed to be in a public place. They'd agreed to go down to a nearby club Cooper had suggested, since it was closer than Columbus and that way it would be easier for Sebastian to take a cab back to Westerville after Cooper broke up with him.  

Cooper didn't know what it was with that whole car excuse and Sebastian, since he knew for a fact his family had more than enough money to fix a car. Cooper thought it might have just been something to keep up the whole struggling college student act Sebastian had going on, but he wasn't sure. 

Either way, Cooper offered to pick him up and drive them down to the club. Cooper was still not very sure about how he was going to break up with Sebastian, but he knew he had to do it tonight. He just couldn't keep doing this for another day. It all had to end tonight. 

 _Break up with him._  That phrase sounded so stupid when Cooper hadn't even asked Sebastian to be his boyfriend in the first place. He'd planned on doing it… but that was before. Now Cooper just wanted to break things off before they got in deeper than they already were. 

Cooper didn't like to feel unprepared, so once he got to his apartment he sat down and started plotting ideas on how to break up with Sebastian without making a mess. He wanted to end things no matter what, but he didn't have Johnny to help him out like he had originally planned. Maybe it was for the best though, because what he had planned on doing with Johnny was really scummy and awful. And after everything that had been going through his mind lately Cooper wasn't sure he'd be able to go through with it. 

He knew breaking things off would piss Sebastian off in one way or another, but it wouldn't really hurt him. To be honest, Cooper didn't really care about hurting Sebastian's feelings or not, he just wanted to end things before they got any messier. 

Even if Sebastian got hurt right now, Cooper knew it wouldn't be even half as bad as if he did things they way he had originally planned to. 

After much thinking and hesitating, Cooper decided the best idea was to just be honest with Sebastian… _kind of_. Cooper was going to tell him that he found out that he is still in school and that he doesn't want to go to jail for being with a minor. Yeah, that is what he was going to do. It was logical, clean, and he would be able to walk away with his head held high while Sebastian would feel embarrassed at being caught. 

And that would be the end of it. Cooper would go on living his life and Sebastian would go on to do whatever is that he did with his life. Cooper didn't care. 

He used the remaining hours before he had to leave to just try to relax and psych himself up for his performance of the night, hoping everything would work out for the best. 

He picked Sebastian up at 9pm sharp. Sebastian was already waiting for him outside when Cooper parked in front of his house. The first thing that Sebastian did when he got inside the car was to lean over and kiss him on the lips. Cooper wished he hadn't, because he was nervous enough about the evening and what was in store for them as it was.  

Cooper had already psyched himself up for the night, but as they drove down to the club, Sebastian started making small talk, asking him about his day like he cared and with every word they exchanged Cooper could feel his heart beating fast and unsteady in his chest. It was just so easy for them to talk and get along, and Cooper couldn’t help but think that if the circumstances were any different, maybe he and Sebastian could have a shot at having _something_. He wasn't sure what exactly _what_ would that something be, but he could feel it. 

Sebastian was looking out the window with an easy and relaxed smile on his face, and Cooper couldn't help but wonder if this was going the be the last time he'd see Sebastian smile like that. He had to stay focused, and keep his mind clear so he could do what he planned. 

Cooper thought they would be safe in a club full of people, but he was wrong. Soon after getting there and having a couple of drinks, Sebastian dragged him to the dance floor before Cooper could even talk to him. 

The place was completely packed, and the music was loud and amazing. Any other time, Cooper would be having a great time, but in that moment he was just struggling inside. He didn't' want to dance with Sebastian; he just wanted to break up with him. But now there they were, in the middle of the dance floor, laughing and moving against each other; and Cooper could feel his resolve fade away with every minute that passed. 

The pants Sebastian was wearing were tighter than any other Cooper had ever seen on him before. After dancing for a couple of songs, they both removed their jackets, leaving them on their table. Sebastian was only wearing a thin layered tank top, which clanged to every detail of his slender and defined torso. Cooper couldn't help but stare at him as they danced, even though he was trying hard to keep a significant distance between them.  

Sebastian had other plans though. He grabbed Cooper's hands and put them around his own waist, bringing their bodies closer and pressing their hips together. Cooper's breath hitched when Sebastian kissed him hard on the lips, cradling his face with both hands as he swiped his tongue over Cooper's bottom lip. It was really hard for Cooper to try and stay focused with the way Sebastian was grinding against him, and the way his tongue felt against his own. 

Kissing Sebastian felt more intoxicating than any of the drinks Cooper had before heading to the dance floor. Sebastian was a completely different kind of drug, and as hard as he tried, Cooper just couldn't stay away. 

A voice in the back of his mind was telling him to stop, to stay focused and in track with his plan; but his body reacted eagerly to every single one of Sebastian's touches and before he knew it, Cooper found himself pushing Sebastian against a column, kissing him hard and roaming his hands everywhere he could reach. 

Just because he was going to break up with him it didn't mean he couldn't enjoy this one last time, right?  

Cooper was still going to break up with Sebastian. He was. _He was_. Cooper kept repeating it to himself like a mantra, while his body did the complete opposite of what his logical mind wanted. Cooper had his leg between Sebastian's, their erections rubbing against each other through the thick fabric of their jeans and his mouth sucking on Sebastian's neck. Even with the loud music of the club, Cooper could still hear and feel the vibrations of Sebastian's moaning and heavy breathing. 

"Get a fucking room!" A couple of girls yelled as they passed by Cooper and Sebastian; giggling and stumbling on their fee, probably drunk off their minds. 

Sebastian pushed Cooper away from him with both hands on his shoulders, and Cooper was a little startled, but before he could say anything, Sebastian's hands traveled to his arms and he pulled him so he'd walk with him to the back of the club. 

Cooper had no idea what was going on, but as they entered the restroom he just _knew_. He didn't even find time to protest before Sebastian's mouth was back on his own, kissing hot, wet and desperate as he pushed Cooper backwards until they stumbled into one of the stalls. 

"W-what are we-" Cooper tried to ask, but Sebastian silenced him, sliding his hands inside his shirt and mouthing at his neck eagerly. 

"Shhh.. Just kiss me." 

 _Oh fuck._ Like Cooper could resist when Sebastian had him pressed against the cool metal of the stall, hands racing up and down his sides and grabbing handfuls of his ass. He was a fool to think coming to a club would be any safer. 

Cooper pushed Sebastian back, slamming him against the other side of the stall, taking control of the situation. Sebastian gasped as his back his the cool metal and arched his back as Cooper pulled his hair, yanking his head back so he could suck on his neck. 

Sebastian was gasping and moaning, growing desperate under Cooper's ministrations. Cooper thought he was in control of the situation, but it only took a swift move for Sebastian to turn them around and have Cooper with his back against the stall again. As they continued to kiss desperately, Cooper felt Sebastian reach down and start fumbling with his belt. He put his hands around Sebastian's wrists, but he didn't really push him away. It didn't take Sebastian long to undo Cooper's jeans and pull them down to his knees in a quick move as he knelt in front of him. 

Sebastian mouthed over Cooper's gray boxer briefs where his erection was straining thickly against the fabric. He teased Cooper for only a second before pulling them down and getting a hold of his cock. 

Cooper gasped, horrified. "Seb-- Sebastian wait!" 

Sebastian just looked up as he trailed his tongue over the head of Cooper's cock and - _fucking hell-_ how was Cooper supposed to stop him now? Sebastian knew what he was doing. 

"What? You want me to stop?" Sebastian asked teasingly, his tongue never leaving Cooper's cock even when he was looking up at him, waiting for his reply. 

Cooper felt like his brain was going to short-circuit. 

"We can't… we can't do this here." 

Sebastian squinted his eyes and smirked. 

"Yes we can." 

He took Cooper's cock and slapped it over his tongue a couple of times, smiling devilishly as Cooper just groaned, slamming his head backwards against the cool metal of the stall. Frustrated at the situation and at the same time feeling so hard that he wanted nothing more than to fuck Sebastian's mouth with it just so he could be put out of his misery. 

"Fuck… you're gonna kill me!" Cooper groaned as Sebastian started working his mouth around his cock, tongue swirling around the head and dipping into the slit. 

"Oh I don't wanna kill you…" Sebastian said teasingly, "I just want to suck you off." 

"Oh… shit!" 

Resistance at this point was not even an option for Cooper. Not when Sebastian seemed to have a mouth that was made for giving head. All he could do was stand there and let Sebastian have his way. 

"Hey! Knock it off guys! You can't do that shit here!" Came a voice from outside the stall, as a hand slammed the door, probably one of the club's security guards.

 "Shit!" Cooper groaned, as he practically yanked Sebastian off his dick, pulling him back by the hair. 

"Ow...The fuck was that f-?" Sebastian protested, but Cooper cut him off with a kiss. 

"We need to get out of here." Cooper said, buttoning up his jeans and Sebastian just rolled his eyes in frustration. In all honesty, Cooper was feeling more frustrated than Sebastian, he felt like he was going to die if he didn't come, and now they were being forced to leave the club? This was fucking humiliating.  

Sebastian seemed to be more than amused though, as they walked to the parking lot. Cooper just rested over the side of his car, feeling a little buzzed from the alcohol and not sure he could drive. 

"I don't think I can drive." He admitted, to which Sebastian just smiled and kissed him. In all honesty, Cooper could probably try and drive, because he wasn't really too drunk. But the thing is that he didn't want to go to his place, because he _knew_ what would happen if they did. 

Sebastian grabbed the keys away from his hand and said, "It's okay… I’ll drive." 

Cooper knew this was a bad idea, but his mind was foggy and his straining erection was throbbing inside his pants, begging for release. He got inside the car and tried to breathe. He was the one who got himself into this, he shouldn't care what happened. He was still going to break up with Sebastian. Nothing mattered anymore. 

When they reached Cooper's apartment building, Sebastian didn't even wait until they were in the apartment to start touching him again. They made out in the elevator; it was hot and exhilarating. Sebastian was stroking Cooper through his jeans and he could do nothing to stop him. Because no matter how loud the voice inside his head was screaming, Cooper _wanted_ this. He wanted every bit of it. 

He wanted Sebastian's mouth around his dick, and his tongue inside his mouth. He wanted to suck Sebastian's neck and to squeeze his ass. He wanted to hear the small whimpers that came out of his mouth every time Cooper bit the sensitive skin of his collarbone and the breathless moans he let out when Cooper lifted him up and wrapped his legs around his waist as they walked towards the bedroom. 

They fell into the bed, a mess of tangled limbs, roaming hands and desperate touches. Soon enough they were both in nothing more than their underwear. Their lips were swollen and their cocks impossibly hard. Cooper couldn't even remember why he'd thought this was a bad idea, when it felt so damn good. 

Fuck. Cooper hated himself for wanting this so bad; hated Sebastian for making him want this. Cooper was so angry and disgusted with himself but at the same time felt like every single one of his nerve endings was on fire. Everything was a haze of pleasure mixed with sickening self-hatred. He hated himself for being so weak, hated Sebastian for turning him on like this, and hated his life for the mess it had become. But when Sebastian was rutting against him, his mouth hot and wet over his nipples, Cooper couldn't muster even the slightest bit of strength to stop.  

As they continued to kiss, Cooper noticed Sebastian moving his hand around to the left, where his discarded jeans were draped over the bed, almost falling off the edge of it. The sound of the plastic package was unmistakable; _of course Sebastian had brought condoms_. But if Sebastan thought he was going to be the one fucking Cooper he was horribly mistaken. Cooper was the one who'd be in charge. 

Cooper slid his hands all the way down, reaching under Sebastian's boxer briefs and grabbing his ass cheeks so hard that Sebastian let out a whimpered moan. Sebastian's hands grabbed hard onto Cooper's shoulders as Cooper slid his hands in the crack of his ass, pressing hard against his hole and the skin of his perineum. The movement of Cooper's hands brought Sebastian's head back up to Cooper's line of vision, and Sebastian took the chance to lean over and kiss him hard on the mouth, firm and almost biting, but Cooper was having none of that. 

With a rough movement, Cooper pushed Sebastian off of him, then grabbed him by the waist and flipped him over. Sebastian didn't even get the chance to fully prop himself up by the elbows before Cooper yanked his boxer briefs off of him. The sight of Sebastian's bare ass made Cooper's breath hitch. He could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest, and his nostrils flared with every deep breath he took. This was it, he was going to do this… and there was no turning back. 

Cooper used his knees to spread Sebastian's legs, and his hands to pull his ass up until it was pressed against his dick. He rocked back and forth a few times, sliding his dick against the crack of Sebastian's ass, the friction was delicious and Cooper wanted more. Suddenly Sebastian peeked over his shoulder and smirked at Cooper, who wanted nothing more than to wipe that stupid grin off his face.  

Cooper squeezed Sebastian's ass tightly before raising his hand and slapping it hard. Sebastian gasped loudly, probably more surprised than actually hurt. But then Cooper spanked him again, harder than the first time, and Sebastian buried his face in the pillow to muffle his loud groans.  

Cooper spanked him until the skin of his ass was red and stinging. Sebastian felt a rush of adrenaline with every slap of Cooper's hand against his skin. He'd never been spanked so hard before, and he never imagined he would enjoy it. But he did. Cooper was taking control, manhandling him and roughing him up, and it was exhilarating in a way he'd never felt before.   

Cooper had never in his life been more turned on that in that moment; a twisted mix of power driven lust and frustration flushing through him. He just needed to get it out. So he reached out and took the condom from Sebastian's hand, ripping the small package open with his teeth and quickly putting the condom on. 

 _Shit, he needed lube._ Cooper almost fell off the bed but he scrambled towards the nightstand to get the small bottle he kept there. Sebastian was lying down on his stomach, watching Cooper as he slicked up his cock. Cooper noticed how Sebastian licked one of his fingers and then took it to his ass, fingering himself. 

Cooper put himself in position behind Sebastian again and swatted his hand away. He poured a bit of lube right on the crack of Sebastian's ass and used his thumb to spread it all over, pressing inside tentatively. Sebastian bit his lip as Cooper fingered him with his thumb, and then with two fingers for the briefest of seconds before he stopped and started rutting his cock against the crack of Sebastian’s ass instead. 

Sebastian was aching all over, feeling hot and desperate. His ass still burned a little from the spanking and his cock was hanging heavy and swollen between his legs, leaking precome onto the bed. He hadn't bottomed in quite a while, but he was more than ready to take Cooper… or at least that's what he thought. 

Cooper started testing the waters, pressing the tip of his cock against Sebastian's ass, pushing in just a bit. Adrenaline was rushing through him in anticipation of what he was about to do. 

Sebastian breathed in, knowing what was coming and hoping he'd been stretched enough because he really wanted to enjoy it, but he couldn't wait a minute longer and it seemed like Cooper couldn't either. 

Cooper started pushing himself inside, holding in his breath as he saw how his dick disappeared into Sebastian's ass. 

"Fuck… oh g-god!" Sebastian groaned, and Cooper could feel the muscles of his ass clenching around his dick. It felt tighter than anything Cooper had felt before, and he had to take a minute to just get used to the sensation before he could start moving. Cooper could hear Sebastian's heavy breathing and knew he was also taking that moment to get used to the feeling of Cooper's dick inside of him.  

Cooper traced his hands all over Sebastian's back and ass and breathed in, pulling out slowly and then pushing back in. The sensation was overwhelming as Cooper started moving, he went slow at first but it didn't take long for him to speed up until his rhythm was fast and relentless. 

"Oh god... oh god!" 

The sound of slick skin slapping and Sebastian's muffled groans were fogging Cooper's brain. He was completely lost in that moment of overwhelming lust. Cooper was biting his lip to prevent himself from screaming, but was still mumbling profanities behind his teeth with each thrust. 

"Fuck… shit… god yes, take it… fuck!" 

The sounds Sebastian was making made it hard for Cooper to tell if he was enjoying it or was just in pain but he couldn't bring himself to care, not when he was pounding hard and steady into his ass. Sebastian met back every thrust with a roll of his lips, wailing and digging his nails into the sheets. Cooper could feel his heart beating hard inside his chest; sweat beading over his forehead and chest as he moved in and out of Sebastian. He put both his hands on Sebastian's waist and pushed him down, which made Sebastian's arms give in and he fell onto the bed, chest pressed against the sheets and face buried into a pillow. 

It was amazing. Having sex with Sebastian was unlike anything Cooper had ever imagined. He never wanted to stop. 

Cooper kept on the same rhythm until he came, screaming his release and feeling a shock of electricity run through him. It felt so amazing Cooper was even a little light-headed, but he was suddenly snapped out of his lust-filled haze when one of Sebastian's moans came out more like a broken sob. The sound pierced through Cooper's ears and made him freeze on the spot. When he looked down and saw the side of Sebastian's face he realized he needed to stop. Sebastian's eyes were shut tightly, and he was biting his lip harshly. It didn't look like Sebastian was enjoying the sex; it looked like he was just enduring it. 

Cooper had been so lost in his own pleasure that he hadn't realized what he was doing. This was not what Cooper wanted. What the hell had he been thinking? 

He slowly and carefully pulled out, which made Sebastian wince. Once Cooper was off of him, Sebastian turned to his side and curled into himself a little. Cooper felt the heavy weight of guilt settle in his stomach at the sight. 

"Hey… hey…" Cooper said, laying down next to Sebastian and grabbing his face with both hands, searching his eyes. "Are you okay?" 

"Y-yeah… why did you stop?"  Sebastian asked. He must have been in so much pain that he hadn't even realized Cooper had already come, because he looked confused as Cooper shifted them so they were laying next to each other, face to face on the bed. 

"You sounded like you were in pain… Did I hurt you?" 

"No... No. I'm fine." Sebastian insisted, but Cooper could see his eyes a little glassy with unshed tears. He knew Sebastian was lying just for his sake.  

"I'm sorry." Cooper whispered, leaning over to kiss Sebastian gently on the lips. "I think I just got a little carried away." Cooper wasn't pretending; his apology was genuine. He didn't want to hurt Sebastian, not anymore. 

Cooper got rid of the condom, tying it up and throwing it in the bin beside his bed before joining Sebastian again on the bed. He noticed Sebastian's cock was soft, but the sheets were dry. That alone confirmed his suspicions that Sebastian had not been enjoying the sex _at all._ Cooper felt like such an asshole. He knew that Sebastian did not deserve this, no one did. And as he lied next to him and pulled him into his arms, Cooper felt a new resolve forming inside him. _He wanted to make things right._  

So he kissed Sebastian, gentle and slow, with his arms around him and their legs intertwined. They just kissed for a few minutes, reveling in the feeling of connection and intimacy that this position provided. When they broke apart, Cooper looked into Sebastian's eyes and sighed. Sebastian looked absolutely exhausted and worn, his cheeks flushed, forehead sweaty, and hair an absolute mess, but he was still smiling, and the look on his eyes was fond as he stared at Cooper. 

Cooper couldn't help but smile. He felt something take over him in that moment and he leaned into Sebastian to kiss him again. This time, Cooper propped himself up by one of his elbows so he could be on top of Sebastian. He put his hand on the side of Sebastian's face and brought their lips together again, the position allowing him better access to deepen the kiss. 

Sebastian's skin felt warm against Cooper's own, and he could feel his cock twitching as he continued to kiss him. Cooper felt aroused too, but he didn't really want to fuck Sebastian again. He just wanted to make things right, _somehow._  

Cooper knew the situation was complicated, and that he would probably never be able to make it alright; but just for the night, Cooper wanted to try. So he shut out his mind and all lingering thoughts of guilt and conflicting emotions and decided to just focus on the moment instead. He kissed Sebastian softly on the lips, pressed wet kisses along his neck and all over his chest; worshipping every inch of skin he could reach.  

When Sebastian reached down between them to touch him, Cooper stopped him, grabbing his wrist and pushing his hand away. "It's my turn now." He whispered softly before kissing Sebastian again.  

Cooper didn't quite know what he was doing. But he just went along with what felt right, and it was liberating and terrifying at the same time. 

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm finally back with an update! Yay! I wish I could update more often but I hope you can be patient with me :) 
> 
> HUGE warning of verbal abuse and domestic violence for this chapter guys. This chapter is quite the rollercoaster but I hope you like it and can tell me what you think!

Cooper opened his eyes and winced a little when the bright light hit his eyes. In the rush of the previous night, he hadn't shut the blinds; which meant the morning light was blasting mercilessly through the big windows of his room. Cooper sighed, turning to his side so he could hide his face from the light. 

Lying beside him was Sebastian, who was sleeping face down and didn't seem to be bothered at all by the brightness of the morning light. He looked peaceful, calm, and innocent... And Cooper felt a mixture of emotions overwhelming him. He couldn't do anything but stare at Sebastian with his mind still in awe of everything that happened the previous night. 

Cooper had sex... full blown sex with Sebastian. His head was still a mess, his emotions and thoughts all over the place. Cooper didn't know how to feel about what he did… about what _they_ did. Far beyond feeling guilty for taking things too far with Sebastian, Cooper was also deeply confused about his sexuality. 

He wasn't gay... He'd never felt attracted to a guy before. But last night he had actually had sex with one, and he enjoyed every second of it. In fact, Cooper liked it so much that the truth was that he couldn't wait to do it again. 

Just remembering the things that happened between him and Sebastian the night before had Cooper's blood flowing south again. The more Cooper looked at Sebastian, naked and beautiful under the morning sun, the more he wanted to just roll over to where he was and kiss him. Cooper stared at the freckled skin of Sebastian's back, and he had to admit the swell of his ass looked very tempting from under the thin bed sheet that covered it. Cooper's hands ached to feel the heat of Sebastian's body under them, and his mouth longed to feel the taste of Sebastian's skin, and mouth, and neck, and...  

Cooper breathed in, shivering all over as he remembered every single inch of Sebastian's skin he'd tasted the night before. His neck, his chest, his nipples, his back, his thighs... _and his cock_. Never in Cooper's wildest dreams he would have thought he'd ever suck another guy's dick... And yet last night he'd done exactly that, and quite eagerly, even though he hadn't swallowed. 

 _Fuck._ The more Cooper thought about it, the harder he felt himself getting. He breathed in and rolled onto his back, taking his eyes away from Sebastian and deciding to stare at the ceiling instead. He remained deep in thought, and then closed his eyes even though he was sure he'd be unable of falling asleep again. 

When Sebastian opened his eyes the first thing he saw was Cooper lying next to him. Sebastian sighed softly and smiled, admiring for a moment the sight before him. Cooper looked gorgeous under the morning light coming through the window. The soft morning light bathed the bare skin of Cooper's chest as he lied on his back. The sheets were crumpled over both of them, but just by looking down Sebastian could make up the bulge of Cooper's dick standing up from under the covers. 

Sebastian couldn't help but smile devilishly at that, remembering everything that happened the night before. Sebastian had had his fair share of sexual partners before, and every guy was different, but so far none had been like Cooper. The sex had been amazing, but waking up together the morning after was definitely something that made it even better. Sebastian hoped he would be able to do more often. 

Cooper woke up and immediately turned his face to the side, his wide blue eyes made contact with Sebastian's green gaze and he smiled affectionately. 

"Hey..." Cooper said, sleepily reaching out his arm towards Sebastian. 

"Good morning..." Sebastian replied, scooting over and giving Cooper a soft kiss on the lips. 

Sebastian only intended it to be a small peck, but Cooper put his hand in the back of his neck, holding Sebastian in place and deepening the kiss. Sebastian smiled, shivers running down his spine as Cooper's warm hand stroked the bare skin of his back. Cooper put his arm around him, bringing their chests closer together. Sebastian cock was pressed to Cooper's hip, and the heat and proximity of their bodies was slowly getting him aroused again.  

They continued to kiss but the angle was a little off, so Sebastian propped himself up on one of his elbows. As he shifted to this new position, Cooper reached down and put his hand on Sebastian's ass, squeezing it. The sudden touch made Sebastian wince, and Cooper immediately froze.  

"Are you okay?" He asked, eyes wide and full of concern. 

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Sebastian smiled, pressing their foreheads together. He was just very sore from the night before. 

Cooper rolled them over so Sebastian could rest on his back, and he positioned himself on his side, propped up in one of his elbows, looking down at him. He caressed Sebastian's face with the back of his hand and pressed soft kisses along his jaw and down his neck.  

"I'm sorry." He said between kisses. 

"Why are you apologizing?"

"For last night… I was just…" Cooper stopped mid-sentence and sighed, "I just kinda got lost in the moment, I didn't mean to hurt you." 

"Shh… you didn't." Sebastian insisted, bringing his hand up to cup Cooper's face and pressing their lips back together as he smiled. "It was pretty hot." 

"Not as hot as you." Cooper replied, as he smiled back and kissed Sebastian some more. 

In all honesty, Sebastian did think Cooper had been a little too rough the night before, but Sebastian knew it had just been the heat of the moment. He didn't think Cooper was a selfish lover, otherwise he wouldn't have cared about Sebastian's own pleasure after he had already gotten off, and he wouldn't be apologizing right now either. 

"Yeah I guess I _am_ pretty hot." Sebastian teased, and Cooper laughed out loud. 

"Hmm there can be consequences to being as hot as you… you know that?" Cooper whispered teasingly as he kissed and nipped at Sebastian's neck, and Sebastian couldn't help but giggle as the feeling of Cooper's lips against his skin sent shivers running through him. 

Sebastian's head was still a little fuzzy from sleep so he just closed his eyes and relaxed, letting himself go as Cooper kissed and sucked on his neck and collarbone. It didn't take long for Sebastian to start getting hard, and he could tell Cooper was getting hard too. 

Sebastian grabbed handfuls of Cooper's hair, running his fingers through it as Cooper kept kissing his neck and chest, sucking on his nipples and making Sebastian arch up against him. Sebastian gasped as he felt Cooper's hand reach under the sheets to grab his cock. Cooper kept trailing his tongue and mouth everywhere he could reach, kissing and biting teasingly as he stroked Sebastian slowly and languidly. 

After a couple of minutes Sebastian was completely helpless under Cooper's ministrations. He just stayed there, spread out on the bed panting while Cooper went down on him, taking his cock inside his mouth and sucking him until he was a shuddering, writhing mess. Cooper didn't stay down for long though, choosing to work Sebastian with his hand as he came back up to kiss him hard on the mouth instead. 

Sebastian let his hips move with the rhythm of Cooper's hand on his cock, his mouth never leaving Cooper's own. Every needy moan Sebastian let out of his mouth just made Cooper go faster and faster until Sebastian came, making a mess of Cooper's hand and his own chest. 

Sebastian just stayed there, unable to move as he caught his breath while Cooper got up from the bed. His head was still spinning as he turned to the side and caught a glimpse of Cooper's naked body as he walked over to the bathroom. 

Cooper looked at himself in the mirror and laughed... He looked down at his hand, slick and covered in Sebastian's cum. He raised his hand up to his mouth and tentatively licked some of it off his finger. Just because he was still not quite ready to swallow didn't mean he wasn't curious about it. Cooper stared at his hand as he reveled in the taste for a few seconds and then he opened the sink faucet and let the water run over his hands. He stared down at himself and remembered he was still painfully hard but he knew Sebastian wouldn't be up for actual fucking with how sore he was, so Cooper decided to try something else. 

He turned on the water to fill the tub and went back to the bedroom, hoping Sebastian was up for a bath; after all… they both needed some cleaning up.

 

-

 

It's funny how a single night can change your life around. How everything you thought you knew about yourself can be put into question because of one decision. It's overwhelming and unreal how your logic and critical thinking can just go out the window in the face of what your heart wants to go after; even if what your heart wants is not even one hundred percent clear in your head. 

Cooper didn't know what he was doing, but he knew it felt too good to let go. He was in too deep, and it was too late to try and back out. After that night when they first had sex, they started spending more and more time together. Cooper pushed any uncertainties and fears to the back of his head just so he could enjoy Sebastian's company, and all the amazing things they did in each other's company. 

The truth was, Cooper was addicted to Sebastian, and he never wanted to let go of him. Every time they had sex, after Sebastian left, Cooper felt a little guilty, but never guilty enough to want to quit. He spent his days working at a job he hated, getting through his hours and counting down the seconds until he could get out of the office just so he could see Sebastian again. 

They saw each other almost every day that week. Sometimes Cooper would pick Sebastian up, other times Sebastian would meet him somewhere so they could eat something, but they always ended up going back to Cooper's apartment at the end of the night. 

Spending time with Sebastian became the highlight of Cooper's days. Every spare time Cooper got during his work day, he spent thinking about what Sebastian and him would do that night. Whether it was going out, or staying in, Cooper just wanted to be with Sebastian. Sometimes, when he was alone at night, Cooper would spend time browsing the web, reading about gay sex and thinking about new things to try with Sebastian. 

Cooper was discovering a part of him that he never knew existed. It was like discovering his sexuality all over again. He was excited and amazed at the new feelings and wanted nothing more than to have sex with Sebastian _all-the-time._  

In a way, Sebastian became Cooper's dirty little secret. A guilty pleasure he hid from the world but enjoyed hungrily and obsessively. 

The sex was amazing, and every time Cooper found himself feeling the slightest bit guilty about what he was doing, he comforted himself with the knowledge that Sebastian was lying to him too. Granted, Sebastian wasn't lying about his name or identity, but he was pretending to be something he was not just as much as Cooper was. 

Every time they slept together during weekdays, Sebastian never spent the night, no matter how much Cooper insisted. He knew it was because Sebastian had school the next day, even though Sebastian made vague excuses about group projects and early morning college classes. 

Cooper wondered if the constant lying and sneaking around bothered Sebastian as much as it bothered him. Cooper had gone into this 'relationship' of sorts with a completely different mindset than what he had now. It used to be nothing but a scheme, a game, an act… but as time passed by Cooper found himself opening up to Sebastian more and more. 

Like that one time after a particularly rough day at the office, when they were both just splayed out on the bed. Cooper lying on his stomach; face down and shirtless with Sebastian sitting on top of him, straddling his ass. 

"Oh god, you're good at this." Cooper moaned as Sebastian used the balls of his hands to push his weight onto Cooper's lower back, massaging him to ease his muscles. 

"You like that? Good… you were too tense." 

"Ow! Ahh… God, just… keep going." 

Sebastian just smiled and kept going, reaching to grab more oil from the bedside and spreading more on his palms before putting them back on Cooper. He massaged Cooper's neck, shoulders and back diligently, reducing Cooper to a puddle. 

Cooper felt so blissed and relaxed that for a minute he was sure he was going to just doze off. 

"Your hands are magical babe… god, I'm falling asleep." He whispered lowly. 

"Sleep if you want… you had a rough day." 

"No, I just…" Cooper groaned, turning around but reaching to grab Sebastian so he could stay in the same position, straddling him. "I don't want you to go." 

"I won't." Sebastian replied, bending down to kiss him.  

"Do you wanna talk about it?" 

Cooper grimaced, he really didn't know what to tell Sebastian, but he was just so tired that he decided to let it all out. 

"I just fucking hate my job… that's it. I hate it. Every day is boring torture and…" Cooper groaned, propping himself up on his elbows as Sebastian looked at him with a fondness that was making his heart swell. "It just sucks." 

Sebastian leaned down again and kissed him softly on the lips. Cooper breathed in and reveled in the smell of Sebastian's cologne mixed with the herbal oil he used to massage him. 

"You're the best part of my day… I swear." Cooper confessed before he could help himself. But Sebastian didn't say anything for a while; he just kept kissing him. 

"You should quit." Sebastian said against his lips before sitting up again. 

"I… what?" 

"Quit… If that job is making you miserable… is it really worth it?" 

"I… I wish I could." 

"Well, tell me something…" Sebastian said, as Cooper sat up a bit so he could rest his back on the pillows by the headboard. "What would you rather be doing? What would your ideal job be?" 

Cooper just looked at Sebastian with a pained expression.  _If only things were that simple._

"What are you thinking? Tell me." Sebastian insisted. 

"Honestly?" 

"Yes, honestly." 

"I want-… I wanted to be an actor." Cooper confessed, feeling small and awfully self-conscious all of the sudden. 

Sebastian just stared at him for a couple of seconds, but instead of laughter or mockery like Cooper was used to receiving every time he said that out loud, Sebastian's face lit up and he smiled. 

"Are you serious? That's amazing." 

"You think?" 

"Yeah… besides, you definitely have the looks for it." He teased, running his hands up and down Cooper's bare chest, earning a chuckle from him. 

"How come you didn't pursue acting then? What made you go into business?" 

"It's complicated… just family I guess, my dad is just really adamant that I-" Cooper stopped himself before he could say too much, but Sebastian continued. 

"But you like acting… Is that your passion?" 

"Yeah… just you know, singing, dancing… just as a hobby, of course but-" 

"Wait… You sing?" Sebastian asked. 

"Um… a little, yeah I guess." 

Sebastian's grin turned wicked. 

"Sing something for me." 

Cooper rolled his eyes. 

"Come on… Show me what you can do!" 

Cooper just laughed, but Sebastian pinched him in the ribs, tickling him. Cooper retaliated and Sebastian fell to the bed as Cooper rolled on top of him. They were both kicking and giggling like children until Cooper had tears in his eyes from laughing so much. 

"Stop it!" Cooper begged. 

"Then fucking sing me something… I won't stop until you sing!" Sebastian insisted. 

"Fine! Fine!" Cooper exclaimed, squirming away from Sebastian and getting off the bed. "Jesus christ Sebastian!" 

Cooper walked towards the shelf and got his iPod out, putting it on the speakers. He shuffled through it for a while; looking for a song amongst all the tracks he had in his "auditions" playlist. 

When he finally found one he deemed appropriate, he pressed play. The second the music started playing, Cooper felt the familiar rush of adrenaline he always got before a performance. It had been so long that he could feel the buzz of energy flowing through him. When he looked at Sebastian, his eyes were as wide as his smile, and that just encouraged Cooper to put his best show up. 

 _"When you came in the air went out… and every shadow filled up with doubt. I don't know who you think you are, but before the night is through… I wanna do bad things with you."_  

Cooper pointed his finger at Sebastian as he danced along to the melody, swinging his hips and playfully removing his belt and throwing it aside.  

_"I'm the kind to sit up in his room… Heartsick and eyes filled up with blue! I don't know what you've done to me but I know this much is true… I wanna do bad things with you!"_

Sebastian's eyes were glued to Cooper, he was still smiling but was biting his bottom lip wantonly. Just realizing the effect he was having on Sebastian made Cooper's head spin. He was in his element... Singing, dancing, and feeling amazing. Cooper hadn't realized how much he missed doing this up until that moment. He completely let himself go, dancing and moving around the room. He was going for sexy but was sure it was also coming out quite dorky… and he was okay with that. 

Just as Cooper was about to start singing again, Sebastian spanked him. Cooper turned around surprised and saw Sebastian right in front of him, smiling mischievously as he sang the next part of the song. 

 _"When you came in the air went out, and all those shadows filled with doubt. I don't know who you think you are but before the night is through I wanna do bad things with you… Oh I wanna do real bad things with you!"_  

Cooper was surprised and laughed, putting his hands on Sebastian's hips as they both danced and sang the last part of the song together. 

 _"I don't know what you've done to me, but I know this much is true. I wanna do bad things with you. I wanna do real bad things with you!"_  

Sebastian kissed him, bringing his hands up to tangle in Cooper's hair. It was so easy for Cooper to just give in and lose himself in the feeling of Sebastian. When the next song started playing, it was Sebastian the one who took the lead, singing. 

Cooper was surprised to see Sebastian knew the words to Bon Jovi's "You give love a bad name".  It was definitely fun to just sing with Sebastian and dance carelessly, forgetting all his troubles as they danced around the room. Sebastian jumped to the bed, took off his shirt and threw it across the room, singing into his closed fist, emulating a microphone. Cooper was rocking the air guitar and they both sang out loud, not caring at all if their noise disturbed the neighbors. 

When the song finished, Cooper's face hurt from smiling so much, and all the stress and tension from his horrible workday had completely disappeared. He was having a great time... Nothing else existed in that moment except him, Sebastian and the music. 

They sang a couple of other songs, losing themselves in the fun of it all, teasing each other playfully until they ended up half naked in the bed. 

When the next day came along, Cooper was feeling relaxed, happier and was able to go through his workday with a better attitude. Sebastian was definitely a catalyst in his good mood, and Cooper wasn't willing to let him go. 

All Cooper had to do was focus on the good things, and as long as he could keep ignoring the little voice in the back of his head telling him he should come clean, everything was fine.

 

-

 

Sebastian found himself happier than he'd ever been. He had always shied away from any notion of exclusivity in relationships, but with Cooper everything was so different. They were _together_ , even if they hadn't even explicitly said they were boyfriends. They texted each other during the day, skyped on nights when Sebastian wasn't able to go out, or when Cooper was busy with work. And they always managed to find time to get together and go to Cooper's apartment and just let loose. 

Sebastian's parents were still in DC, and he had no idea when they were coming back. Sebastian's mom kept up with her threat of calling every night to check up on Sebastian, but that lasted only for the first five days they were away. After that, she didn't call again. Sebastian didn't mind not talking to his mom; he felt relieved to not have to listen to her condescending tone every day. What bugged him about not talking to her was that he had no clue as to when they would be coming back; and he definitely wasn’t going to be the one to call them. 

Sebastian's parents being away was nothing new for him. He was used to being alone in his house for weeks and even months at a time. His parents had been gone for two weeks now even though they had supposedly only went away for a weekend. 

On the second week of being alone, Sebastian started using his car again. There was no point in having to drag Phil, the family driver around if there was no one around to stand on his toes. Also, that made handling things with Cooper a lot easier.  

Sebastian went up to Cooper's place almost every night, and it was amazing. Sebastian felt happy and excited everyday to be done with school to be able to meet up with Cooper. Sebastian was falling for Cooper, hard… and that feeling had him feeling really good about life in general. Sebastian had always made fun of people in love, mocking them for being corny, but he was sure the things he was feeling for Cooper were stronger than anything he'd ever felt before.

Even the Warblers started noticing a change in Sebastian. He seemed happier, Sebastian was easier to get along with, and no longer made a big fuss about Warbler rehearsals and things related to the upcoming regionals competition. 

As a result, the group dynamic improved. Everyone wanted to participate, they all gave ideas and they were able to get along very well. Things among the Warblers were flowing better than Sebastian had ever remembered them being. 

It seemed like everything was going just the way it should be with Sebastian. However, it was at times when he was alone, especially every night after he came back home from Cooper's apartment, that Sebastian felt guilt and remorse eat him inside. 

As happy as he felt to be able to have Cooper in his life, and as good as things felt overall, Sebastian couldn't fully enjoy it because he knew he was not being honest to him. He was living a lie, and he knew it was only a matter of time before things would come out in the open, ruining everything. The thought of losing Cooper was unbearable for Sebastian, but he didn't know what to do. 

He was afraid of what telling the truth could cost him. Sebastian felt like being held up against a wall. 

Sebastian didn't cope well with rejection. He couldn't stand it, which was also why he had been avoiding thinking about Blaine. He had been blaming Blaine for what he had done out of idiocy, because admitting to being wrong was too scary. Sebastian was just ignoring the situation, but every now and then, Blaine would come up during conversation, and Sebastian's refusal to address the issue always made things awkward with the rest of the guys. Sebastian wished he could make amends with Blaine, but he was afraid of what could happen if he tried and Blaine blew him off. 

It was a similar situation with Cooper. Though Sebastian didn't care for Blaine as much as he did about Cooper. 

Sebastian wanted nothing more than to be able to tell Cooper the truth about how old he was, and that he wasn't in college but in high school… but he was afraid of what Cooper's reaction would be.  

On Friday, Sebastian was sitting down by himself at lunch, thinking about everything, when all of the sudden Trent sat next to him. 

"Hey… Everything okay?"  

"Uh… Yeah." Sebastian replied, a little caught of guard. "I'm great, why?"

"Oh, nothing, you just looked worried, is all." 

Sebastian remained quiet for a bit, analyzing the situation before speaking. "It's okay… I just have a lot on my mind." 

Trent just nodded silently, taking out his sandwich and chips and putting them over the table. Sebastian knew Trent was probably not going to press him for details, but he decided to take a chance and ask for his opinion anyway because quite frankly he had no one else he could talk to. 

"Trent… Can I ask you something?" 

"Sure. What's up?" 

Sebastian breathed in. 

"Do you think that, if you meet someone, and you become friends, but like _really close_   _friends_ , and if you grew fond of them, started spending a lot of time together, sharing things and getting along very well and all… If that person suddenly confessed to lying about something from the very beginning, would you hate them?" 

Trent stared at him for a while and frowned. 

"Lying about what? I mean… what kind of lie?" 

"I don't know… about yourself? Lying about something about yourself." Sebastian replied vaguely, he didn't really know how else to put it. Trent just stared at him like he was growing another head or something, but then he just looked away and seemed thoughtful for a while. 

"Well… I do believe in second chances, but I guess it depends." 

"On what?" 

"I mean, every person is different. You know, friends are different than family, and family is different than… boyfriends or girlfriends and stuff. So I guess it depends on who lied to me and about what…" 

That answer was really not helping Sebastian's case. 

"But I can tell you something," Trent continued, "If you are the one to come up first and confess, it's a hundred times better than if the person finds out on their own. And I'm pretty sure that would give you bigger chances of getting their trust back." 

Huh… that made more sense. _A lot of sense actually._ But Sebastian still wasn't sure about what he was going to do. 

"Can I ask you something?" Trent said. 

"Yeah?" 

"I know you don't really want to talk about what happened with Blaine and all, and the guys have all given up on bringing up the subject during Warbler rehearsals but… Are you really never going to talk to him again?" 

Sebastian felt uncomfortable all of the sudden, but he knew he had been avoiding this for far too long. 

"No… I mean, I do want to talk to him again. I just don't know if it would even matter. Blaine probably hates me. The whole thing was so stupid and messy, I just don't know Trent." 

"Well… When we went to his house Blaine was really cool about everything. After that first time we went, some of the other guys went over too, and he wasn't mad at them Sebastian." 

"Yeah well, you guys weren't the ones almost blinding him, it was me." 

"Yeah but we were all there, we all were part of it… You said so yourself, remember?" 

Sebastian just rubbed his hands over his face frustratedly.  

"Seb, he asked about you. You know?" 

"He… what? When?" 

"That first time we went over to his house… He asked about you, and we didn't really know what to say. But he didn't seem mad, he was mostly just sad." 

Trent's words were doing nothing to help Sebastian. But he was just so tired of hiding and avoiding things that he just reached his limit. So in that moment, he decided to take a chance. 

"Trent… What are you doing after school?"  

"Um… well there is Warbler rehearsal but-" 

"I know. I meant _after_ Warbler rehearsal." 

"Oh, I don't have any plans." 

"Great. Come with me to Blaine's house?" Sebastian asked, catching Trent completely off guard. 

"Really?" 

"Yes, really." 

"Okay." 

Trent's smile was obnoxiously wide, but Sebastian just sighed. He didn't know if he was going to regret this or not, but he knew that he would never know unless he tried. If things with Blaine worked out, and he was able to redeem himself a bit; maybe he would be able to muster the courage to come clean to Cooper as well. 

So after Warbler rehearsal was finished. Sebastian and Trent went over to Blaine's house. 

They rang the bell and asked for Blaine. The maid let them inside and told them to wait in the living room.  

Sebastian was a little nervous but surprisingly enough, he was not regretting his decision.   

"Hey Trent.... S-Sebastian?"  

Blaine's voice made the both of them turn around, stepping up from the couch. The expression on Blaine's face was confused and guarded, but Sebastian knew this was the right thing to do. 

"Hey Blaine..."

 

-

 

Cooper left the office early that day which was a rarity, but he was glad to be able to leave because he was tired. The work week had been pretty hectic and Cooper was looking forward to the weekend. 

His mom had been insisting that he went over for dinner for days now, but Cooper had been spending so much time with Sebastian lately that he kept making excuses and postponing it.  

Cooper glanced at his watch and realized he could probably visit his parents for a while before meeting up with Sebastian. They didn't have any specific plans for the night but they had talked about seeing each other later. 

So Cooper decided to go down to his parents' house, and just as he was about to get there he saw something that made his blood freeze.  

 _It was Sebastian_. 

Sebastian was walking out of the front door, accompanied by Blaine and some other Dalton kid Cooper didn't recognize. They were talking and smiling, saying their goodbyes and Cooper felt his panic rising. 

Cooper sped up and drove passed the house, begging to whatever higher power existed that Sebastian hadn't seen him. He turned to the left the first chance he got and drove away as fast as he could.  

This was bad. What the hell was Sebastian doing at his parents' house? What if Blaine talked to Sebastian about him? Cooper was so fucking screwed. 

Suddenly, his phone started ringing, but Cooper just tightened his grasp on the steering wheel until his knuckles were white and ignored it.  Cooper drove away, pushing the speed limit until he got to his apartment. He stopped the car and reached inside his pocket to get his phone out and realized he had a missed call from Sebastian. 

 _Fuck._  

Cooper didn't know what to do, so he just got out of his car and walked to his apartment. He needed to know where he stood before talking to Sebastian, so he decided to call Blaine first. 

 _"Coop! Hey, how are you?"_ Even through the phone, Blaine sounded really animated. 

"Hey squirt! How's it going?" 

 _"Great... Are you coming over for dinner? Or are you gonna ditch us again?"_  

"Uh... No, I was actually planning on heading down there in a while, but... Wanted to call first." 

 _"Are you kidding? Come on over... I have so much to tell you!"_  

"Really? What is it?" 

 _"Ha! You'll never believe it."_  

Cooper didn't like the sound of that at all... But figured if Blaine knew about him and Sebastian he wouldn't be so upbeat. 

"Everything alright? I mean... Is it something good or..." 

 _"Yeah it's fine… just, pretty unexpected."_  

"Come on Blainers… stop teasing, just tell me… you know how curiosity kills me!" 

Cooper could hear Blaine chuckling on the other end of the line, _"Fine... Remember Sebastian?"_  

"Uh… the guy who slushied you?" 

_"Yeah, him… Well, today he came over, completely out of the blue… to apologize!"_

Cooper was baffled... He couldn't believe what Blaine was telling him.  

"Wow, that's… That's good though, right?" 

 _"Yeah... It is. I guess."_  

Cooper had mixed feelings about this new development. For one, he was happy to see that Sebastian had reached out to Blaine to make amends, cause that meant that all those things Sebastian had told him that night all those weeks ago about feeling bad for hurting 'his friend' were true. But at the same time, that could also mean that there was a possibility that Sebastian could start hanging out with Blaine again, and if that happened, it would only be a matter of time until Blaine talked to Sebastian about his older brother... And how was Cooper going to get out of that mess? 

Just the thought of being caught lying to both Sebastian and his brother, scared Cooper beyond belief. Sure… he'd been lying to Sebastian about his last name, about his job…  _about too many things!_ But he’d also been lying to Blaine as well. He’d been using Melanie Smith as a cover up for the fact that he was sneaking around and having sex with Sebastian. He didn’t even know if Melanie was still in Ohio or not… he hadn’t talked to her in years. 

 "So, does that mean that you guys will be like best friends now or something?" Cooper asked, half joking and half dreading the answer. 

 _"Pff... Hardly."_ Blaine quickly said, sounding a little less excited. _"I mean... It was a bit hard for me to just accept his apology, you know? Cause for the longest time I just thought he didn't care. But well... I think Sebastian was genuine. I just feel a bit weird about it, if that makes any sense?"_

"Yeah... I get what you mean." Cooper said, meekly. 

Suddenly Cooper’s phone buzzed with an incoming call from Sebastian. 

"Uh... Listen squirt, I have to go... I got another call on hold, but... I'll see you in a bit, alright?" 

 _"Okay... See you later."_  

By the time Cooper hung up, Sebastian's call had already been sent to voicemail, and a few seconds later he got a text. 

**From Sebastian:**

**Hey! Just wanted to see if we're still on for tonight? Let me know.**  

Cooper sighed... Feeling a little relieved.  Sebastian’s text gave him the impression that everything was the same as any other day, which meant Sebastian had probably no clue that Blaine and him were related. Cooper still didn't know what he and Blaine talked about though, so anything could happen… Cooper needed to find out, so he dialed Sebastian's number and he picked up immediately. 

"Hey babe! Sorry for not picking up... I was just in the middle of another call." 

 _"Oh it's fine... Don't worry about it... I didn't know you were still busy."_  

"Oh I'm not... I'm already home, actually." 

 _"Really? That's great... I just wanted to ask you what you wanted to do tonight, since we didn't really make any plans or anything. I was kinda thinking we could go out for dinner… or we could stay in if you want, we could order something, just-"_  

"Yeah, I got your text, but um..." Cooper sighed, desperately trying to come up with a believable excuse to avoid seeing Sebastian tonight. "It's just... Something came up and I won’t be able to meet up tonight... I'm so sorry." 

 _"Oh..."_ Sebastian sounded disappointed, but as much as it killed him, Cooper needed to go and talk to Blaine first and find out more about what he and Sebastian talked about.  

"I'm really sorry babe... It's just a family thing that came up, and I really can't get out." 

Sebastian remained silent for a few seconds and Cooper was getting nervous. 

 _"Um… so, is it like dinner or something?"_   

"Yeah… dinner at eight, at my parent's house." Cooper groaned, for dramatics. "It's just my dad is having some of his business associates over for dinner and he wants me to be there. You know how it is." 

 _"Yeah… it's okay."_ Sebastian said meekly, but Cooper could tell he was lying. 

"Are you mad?" Cooper asked… and he just heard Sebastian sigh in the other end.

 _"No! Not at all. It's just… I really needed to see you tonight."_  

"Why? What happened? Are you okay?" 

 _"Yeah, just… Something amazing happened today and I really wanted to tell you about it."_ Sebastian confessed, and Cooper felt relieved for a while, but then Sebastian continued.

 _"I also wanted to talk to you about something… It’s really important so… Look, can I just go over to your house real quick? Before you head out for dinner?"_  

"Uh…" Cooper didn't know what to say to that, because it was barely five thirty, so he definitely had more than enough time for Sebastian to come over and talk. 

 _"Look, I could be there in like… fifteen minutes tops, and I promise I won't take much time. I just really need to tell you something."_ Sebastian pleaded, and Cooper's curiosity skyrocketed. He didn't know what Sebastian could possibly want to tell him, but he knew he had no choice but to agree. 

"Okay… come over and we'll talk." 

Cooper paced around his apartment, still wearing his business suit. He counted down the minutes until he heard Sebastian ring the bell. Cooper pushed the button to open the door for him and just took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever Sebastian was going to tell him. Cooper had no idea how much of his parents' house Sebastian had seen, but if he walked inside further than the living room he must have seen the pictures his mother hung in the hallway. There were pictures of Cooper and Blaine all over the hallway leading up to his father's studio. Cooper's head started reeling, and when Sebastian knocked on his door, he almost jumped. 

When he finally opened the door, Sebastian was smiling warmly and that eased Cooper's nerves a bit, even if he was still a little bit on edge. 

"Hey!" 

Before Sebastian could even reply, Cooper pulled him into a tight hug. Sebastian was a little startled by Cooper's sudden gesture, but put his arms around Cooper and hugged him back. 

"I missed you." Cooper said. 

"You saw me Wednesday." Sebastian replied, laughing. 

When they broke apart, they just stared at each other for a few seconds before Cooper just leaned in and kissed Sebastian softly on the lips. Cooper was hesitant at first, waiting for Sebastian's reaction, but once he felt Sebastian melting into the kiss, his nerves eased away and he kept going. 

Sebastian put his hands around Cooper's neck, and Cooper put his hands around Sebastian's waist, keeping him close to him and just drinking the moment in. Cooper was overtaken by a weird type of nostalgia in that moment, because he wasn't sure he would ever be able to kiss Sebastian like this after whatever conversation they were about to have. 

As usual, their kiss started escalating. Tongues desperately brushing against each other, hands roaming up and down their backs and chests. Cooper was definitely okay with this. He figured whatever Sebastian wanted to talk about maybe wasn't so bad if he was still on board with making out with him like this. 

Sebastian's mind was pretty much in the same place than Cooper. He had shown up to Cooper's apartment with the determination to come clean about his real age. He wasn't sure how Cooper was going to react, but after how great things had worked out with Blaine, Sebastian had gotten enough courage to be honest with Cooper. 

Still, Sebastian just wanted to savor this moment to the fullest in case Cooper wanted nothing to do with him once he told him the truth. 

It was selfish, and Sebastian knew it, but he couldn't help himself…. and the thing was, _neither could Cooper._  

Before they knew it, they ended up in the couch, with Cooper lying on his back and Sebastian resting on top of him, both kissing desperately and holding each other like their lives depended on it. Cooper was sucking on Sebastian's neck; just the way he knew Sebastian loved it. There was a hickey in the base of Sebastian's neck that was starting to fade away, and when Cooper saw it he focused the attention of his mouth there to make sure the mark would still be there for a while longer. It was something Cooper couldn't quite understand, but just knowing he'd left marks on Sebastian's skin turned him on. 

Even though the kissing was intense, none of them were doing any moves to get further than just kissing. Any other time they would be taking each other's clothes off, but not today. Right in that moment they just wanted to touch and taste and _feel._  

It was quite ironic how in both their minds, this felt like goodbye. 

Cooper and Sebastian were both hard and their erections were rubbing against each other through the fabric of their pants, but they were both holding back. After what felt like hours of making out and light groping on the couch, Sebastian stared deep into Cooper's eyes and in that moment Cooper just knew his time was up. 

"Everything okay?" Cooper whispered and Sebastian just nodded and sighed. 

They slowly sat up and when they were finally sitting straight and facing each other, Cooper noted Sebastian looked shy and nervous. Cooper put on his best pokerface and tried his best to act normal. He didn't want things with Sebastian to end, so he wasn't going to say a word until he heard whatever Sebastian had to say. Maybe Sebastian wanted to talk about something completely unrelated to what Cooper feared and at the end of the night he would feel like an idiot for freaking out so much. 

Cooper sure hoped that would be the case. 

"So, here’s the thing… listen…" Sebastian started, smiling nervously. "Okay… I said I wanted to talk to you about something… Right?" 

"What is it? You're all serious and I'm getting kinda worried." Cooper teased, trying to ease the tension between them. 

"Well… I'm a little worried too but, I really need to get this out there. Alright? I just feel like this time we've been together… I mean, don't get me wrong, it has really been amazing, right?" 

"I agree, _you are amazing_." Cooper said with a wink, and Sebastian smiled again, even though this time, he didn't look nervous, just a little sad. 

"You're amazing too… and that's why I need to do this. There's something-" 

Sebastian was interrupted by the blasting sound of his phone ringing inside his pocket. He rolled his eyes and hastily took out the phone. Cooper thought Sebastian was going to just dismiss the call but he didn't. Sebastian just sat there frozen, staring down at the screen and frowning. 

Sebastian didn't answer the call and when he looked up at Cooper he looked worried and distraught. Cooper didn't understand what was going on. 

"Everything okay?" Cooper asked, but then the phone started ringing again, and this time Sebastian got up from the couch and turned his back to Cooper. 

The mood in the room was suddenly tense, and Cooper had no idea what was going on. Sebastian still had his back turned to him so Cooper couldn't see his face, but he knew something was definitely wrong. 

"Babe?" Cooper tried again. 

Sebastian turned around and just bit his lip, "I'm sorry I just…" 

The phone started ringing for a third time and in that moment Sebastian looked like he wanted to cry. 

"I really have to take this… I'll just… I’ll be right back." Sebastian walked towards the door and stepped out of the apartment, leaving Cooper sitting on the couch feeling incredibly confused, and even worried. 

Curious as he was, Cooper got up from the couch with the intention of eavesdropping on Sebastian, but before he could even get to the door, Sebastian opened it again. 

"What happened?" Cooper asked. 

"I… I'm sorry Coop, I just… I really have to go."  

"Why? Who called?" 

Sebastian just ran a hand through his hair nervously and sighed. 

"It's a long story… and it just sucks. I just hate that I have to leave now but… I'll call you, okay? I'm really sorry, I just really have to go… right now."

Cooper was puzzled, unable to say anything as Sebastian took a few steps back and headed for the door. 

"Sebastian, wait!" 

Sebastian was already standing in the hallway, but stopped and turned around. 

"Call me later, alright?" 

"I will… I promise." Sebastian said with a sad smile before walking away. 

With everything that was going on in Cooper's mind, he hadn't even noticed Sebastian was wearing his Dalton trousers and shirt. He knew those were part of the uniform, even though Sebastian wasn't wearing the blazer and tie. Suddenly it all clicked into place, and Cooper realized that maybe what Sebastian was about to tell him was that he was still in school. 

Cooper didn’t quite know what to think about that, but he guessed he would have to wait until he talked to Sebastian again and see if that was it.

 

- 

 

Sebastian drove home as fast as he could. His parents were back, and mother had called to yell at him for not being home. Normally, he wouldn’t really give a damn, but this time his mom sounded really angry over the phone. She even told Sebastian that his father was thinking about getting on the car and tracking his car’s LoJack so he could drag him back home. 

Sebastian knew he was in big trouble. He parked in the driveway and braced himself before getting out of the car. He looked at his phone one last time, then turned it off and put it in his front pocket along with his wallet.

Sebastian felt dread pooling up inside his stomach as he walked towards the door. He fumbled with his keys on slightly shaky hands but when he finally pulled them out he realized the door was unlocked. He slowly pushed it open and walked inside, trying to make as little noise as possible. He could hear his mother talking on the phone in the living room, and wondered if his dad was there too. 

Once Sebastian walked into the hallway, he saw his mom was alone. Once she noticed him she turned around and ended her call. His father was not there, but that offered little relief once Sebastian saw the look on his mother's face. 

"Sebastian, where the hell were you?" She said, almost whispering as she walked up to where he was, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out of the hallway and into the living room. 

"I was just… I was at David's." Sebastian lied.

"You were not supposed to leave this house… Who allowed you to use your car again? You were grounded, young man. Grounded! Why is that so difficult to understand?" 

"I'm sorry mom." 

"Do you have any idea how angry your father is? We come here and you are nowhere to be found, then we call you and you can't be bothered to pick up?" She hissed. "Go to your room and stay there! Do not let your father see you, if you know what's good for you." 

"Why not?" His dad said from across the room, startling both Sebastian and his mother at the same time. "You think I wouldn't hear your car parking in the driveway? I've been waiting for you to come home for hours now. Thought you could get away with disobedience like you always do?" 

His father was yelling at him, but Sebastian did his best to just bite his tongue and look down to avoid upsetting him even more... But apparently it was too late for that. Just the fact that Sebastian wasn't home when his parents came back was offensive enough to make his father furious. 

He walked up to Sebastian and slapped him in the face with absolutely no warning. Sebastian's cheek burned where the back of his father's hand struck him, and his mother just gasped in shock, but didn't say anything. 

"Give me your keys and wallet… Now!" His father demanded, but Sebastian was unable to react quickly, frozen and still in shock of what happened.  

Out of patience, his dad reached to yank the keys off Sebastian's hand, and shoved his hand inside Sebastian's pocket forcefully, taking out his wallet and dropping Sebastian’s phone to the floor with the motion. 

"D-dad what are you doing? Wait!" His father grabbed Sebastian's wallet and pushed him away, causing him to almost lose his balance. He started picking it apart, grabbing the money and cards Sebastian had in it and throwing everything else away. 

"You ungrateful little brat! You think you can get away with doing whatever you want... Don't you? You are not getting anything from us anymore, you little shit!" His father barked out, throwing the empty wallet at Sebastian's feet as he inspected the things he'd taken out. Sebastian felt his stomach drop as his dad stared at one particular item.

"What the hell is this? _You have a fake ID?"_  

Sebastian couldn't form words even if he wanted to. This was bad, really bad. His father's eyes were manic, and his lip was quivering from how angry he was as he got into Sebastian's personal space, shoving the fake ID right in his face. 

"What the fuck is this? Are you whoring yourself out in some brothel, Sebastian? Is that it?"  

His father's breath reeked of alcohol, but Sebastian was not going to just stand there and let him insult him. 

"I am not a whore dad! That's not what it-" 

Before Sebastian could even finish his sentence, his dad slapped him again, going further this time by yanking him by the collar of his shirt and slamming him against the wall. 

"I can see that mark on your neck you know? Do you think I'm stupid? I know _exactly_ what that is, you disgusting piece of shit!" 

Sebastian tried to get up even though his legs were shaking but then his dad pulled him by the hair and started choking him. 

"You are disgusting! You're a disgrace! You're probably getting fucked by old shits at some seedy gay bar! Aren't you? Aren't you!" 

Sebastian panicked and desperately tried to get away, digging his nails into his father's hands and arms and pushing him away. That only made his father even angrier, and he grabbed Sebastian by the already ruined collar of his shirt and pulled him backwards, making him stumble and fall over the coffee table. When Sebastian was on the floor, his father jumped on top of him like a crazed animal. His mother tried to separate them but his father just shoved her away. 

Everything was too fast and too much. Sebastian could hear his mother screaming; begging his father to stop, but he couldn't see anything. All he could do was weakly cover his face with his hands, crossing his arms over his head in a futile attempt to shield himself from his father's blows. It didn't do much to help though, as his father soon started kicking him relentlessly in his stomach and chest until Sebastian felt like he couldn't breathe anymore.

Everything inside him screamed for help. He wanted to beg his father to stop, but he couldn't even get words to come out of his mouth. Sebastian's cries were drowned amongst his mother's screams and empty breaths of air that just refused to enter his lungs. His face burned, his mouth tasted of blood and his chest felt impossibly tight. 

 _"Robert please! Stop it! You're going to kill him! Stop!"_   Was the last thing Sebastian heard, before everything went black.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The songs Cooper and Sebastian sang were: "Bad Things" by Jace Everett and "You give love a bad name" by Bon Jovi


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!! New chapter is finally here and I AM SO SORRY it took me a month to post, especially after the cliffhanger.. but I have been more busy than I anticipated :( I wish I could update sooner but thanks so much for the patience and the love. I'll shut up and let you read now :)

When Sebastian woke up he felt disoriented and in pain… _a lot of pain._

He tried to open his eyes but soon realized he could only open one of them. He was on the floor, and his mother was kneeling in front of him. His mind was fuzzy and his body felt heavy and weak. He didn't know what was going on anymore, all he could hear was his parents yelling at each other.

_"You did this! How could you do this Robert!"_

_"Shut up! Just shut up! It was his fault Violet!"_

Sebastian's face burned, he could feel his left eye throbbing and the taste of blood in his mouth made him nauseous. He tried to get up but his limbs felt jittery. He felt a sharp stabbing pain cut through his side as he rolled onto his back, and couldn't help but yelp at the piercing pain. His mother turned to him once she heard him and Sebastian could feel her cradling his face with both hands.

"Sebastian… can you hear me? I'm calling an ambulance honey okay?"

"Are you insane? You can't do that!"

"Robert, he needs a doctor."

"Put that god damn phone down!"

Even though Sebastian couldn't quite see his mother's face, he could still tell she was crying. He wanted to speak but couldn't because it hurt. It hurt to move, it hurt to breathe, but even in the midst of his haze he could tell what his dad was trying to do, and it made him sick to his stomach.

"M-mom…"

Sebastian's voice was quiet and strained, barely a whisper, but it was enough to make both his parents stop shouting.

"I can't… breathe."

It was true, Sebastian felt a piercing pain cutting through his chest every time he inhaled. He could do nothing but stay on the floor and wrap his arms around his chest. His head was still spinning but he could hear his dad cursing and starting to panic.

"Fuck… fuck!"

"I'm taking him to the hospital, right now."

In that moment Sebastian felt his mother put her arms around his back and slowly helped him get on his feet. Sebastian felt a second pair of arms wrap around him and when he turned to his side realized it was their family driver, Phil.

"Can you walk to the car?" He asked, and Sebastian nodded slowly, supporting his weight on Phil's shoulder while his mother walked over to the other side of the room to get her purse.

"Violet, are you fucking crazy?" Sebastian heard his father say as Phil helped him walk towards the door. He didn't get to hear what his mother replied, but when she joined them in the car, Sebastian noticed she was shaking.

Phil drove them to the hospital and Sebastian tried his best to control his breathing. He had his eyes closed but was still conscious, and could hear his mom sniffling above him. Sebastian could feel her hands trembling as she threaded her fingers soothingly through his hair. Sebastian realized in that moment that he had never seen his mother like this before. They didn't have a good relationship, so Sebastian had gotten used to her always being cold and strict with him. Sebastian hadn't seen this softer, vulnerable side of his mom in years.

When they finally got to the hospital, Sebastian felt like he was going to pass out from the dizziness and the pain. Just the walk from the car to the door of the emergency room felt like it was a mile long. His dad had really hurt him badly today, unlike other times when Sebastian had gotten away with only a black eye or a couple of bruises on his arms. The pain was intense this time, and Sebastian just hoped nothing was broken inside him, cause it sure felt like it.

The hospital staff quickly put Sebastian in a wheelchair and got him to the emergency room. Phil stayed in the car while Sebastian's mom went inside with him. Everything was confusing for Sebastian, and he could do nothing but close his eyes as he felt the nurses helping him remove his clothes and cleaning up his face, patching up his split lip and examining him. In the midst of everything that was happening, Sebastian heard one of the nurses asking his mom what had happened, but she was incapable of giving them any answers.

"Ma'am, your son is badly hurt, we need to know what happened in order to be able to help him."

"I… I just… I'm sorry, I… I just don't know." She cried, turning to Sebastian with a look of utter despair.

In that exact moment, the other nurse was touching his chest and Sebastian cried in pain.

"It seems as if he has a broken rib, or maybe even two… We'll need to take some X-rays and run some tests to confirm. I'm gonna ask you to please step outside for a minute." The nurse told his mom sternly. Sebastian's mom just nodded understandingly and walked out of the room, giving Sebastian a pleading look before leaving. Sebastian felt lost, he didn't quite know what was going to happen next, and he was scared.

...

It was almost midnight when Cooper finally got back to his apartment. He had ended up staying at his parents' house until really late, watching a movie and talking with Blaine. All the while, Cooper had been a little worried at the possibility that Sebastian might call him; because he wouldn't have been able to pick up, but Sebastian hadn't called.

Cooper walked up to his room and changed into more comfortable clothes, he was almost ready to go to bed when he decided to check his phone for the tenth time that night. There were still no calls or texts from Sebastian though, and Cooper couldn't help but feel intrigued, and even a little worried. Sebastian had  _promised_  he'd call him tonight... So Why hadn't he?

Cooper kept remembering how nervous and shy Sebastian looked earlier, just before they had been interrupted and Sebastian rushed out of the apartment. Cooper's curiosity was eating him up inside, wondering if Sebastian was really going to come clean to him, or if he wanted to talk about something completely different. In any case, Cooper was  _dying to know._

He turned on the TV in his room and mindlessly zapped through the channels for a while until he found something interesting to watch, and he was able to distract himself for a while. It was almost 1am when Cooper realized that Sebastian still hadn't called.

He couldn't wait anymore, so he decided to just call Sebastian himself. However, once Cooper dialed Sebastian's number, his call went straight to voicemail.

That was weird, but Cooper didn't want to think much of it. He hung up without leaving a message, deciding to try again in the morning. Cooper got into bed and tried to relax, and as he drifted off to sleep he tried his best to ignore the little voice in the back of his head that was telling him something was wrong.

The next morning, Cooper checked his phone as soon as he woke up, but nothing had changed. There were no new texts from Sebastian, no emails,  _nothing_. It was Saturday, and Saturdays were usually  _their day_. Cooper and Sebastian would almost always make plans for the day, or the night,  _or both._  So Cooper decided to text him as casually as he could, asking how he was. He didn't expect to get an immediate reply, but when two hours passed without any kind of response from Sebastian, Cooper couldn't help but get a little jumpy.

Cooper decided to distract himself with cooking, he went to the kitchen and prepared a nice omelet for himself, putting on some music and trying to shake off his uneasiness, figuring Sebastian would call him eventually… but he didn't. Cooper ate breakfast, watched TV, took a shower, played with his Wii, cooked lunch, watched some more TV and checked his phone every few minutes during the day, but Sebastian didn't call him or text at all.

Blaine called Cooper, inviting him to watch some kind of rehearsal the New Directions were having at the school auditorium, but Cooper declined with the excuse that he just wasn't feeling very well. It was a lie though. Physically, Cooper was just fine, but emotionally... it was a whole different story. Cooper was just not really in the mood to go anywhere with how he was feeling… worried, doubtful, and a little anxious. Silence from Sebastian could mean so many things that Cooper's mind was going crazy with all the possible scenarios. Maybe Sebastian had found out about him, and that is why he wanted to talk to him, or maybe he had found out somehow and he was just giving him the silent treatment. Cooper couldn't know, and that was the part that was killing him the most. Cooper was feeling torn, wondering why Sebastian hadn't called or texted him yet. He'd tried to call Sebastian again right after lunch, but his phone was still turned off.

That night, Cooper just stayed in his apartment, watching reruns of Friends on TV and reprimanding himself every time he realized he was checking his phone again. By the time he went to bed, Cooper couldn't help the uneasiness that had crept up on him during the whole day. He was quite certain he wouldn't be able to sleep, not until he talked to Sebastian and found out what he wanted to say yesterday, and most importantly: why he'd just ran off from his apartment. But how was Cooper ever going to find that out when Sebastian wasn't picking up the phone?

Later that night, when Cooper finally managed to fall asleep, his dreams were filled with Sebastian and memories of the two of them together.

When Sunday came along, nothing had changed. Cooper checked his phone and realized he still had nothing new from Sebastian. He logged onto Skype and realized Sebastian wasn't online. Was Sebastian avoiding him? Going a whole day without any type of contact was extremely unusual, and his phone was still turned off. Surely if something happened to Sebastian's phone, he could still IM him, or at least email him, but Sebastian had done none of that.

Cooper felt puzzled, but he realized he couldn't do anything except wait, so he hastily got up and went to brunch with his parents, as he already had promised his mom that he would go with them.

Brunch with his parents and Blaine managed to get Cooper a much needed distraction, but no matter how hard he tried, every now and again his thoughts would drift back to Sebastian. Every time he remembered Sebastian, Cooper would immediately look down at his phone just to realize he still had nothing new from him.

"Are you okay, Coop?" Blaine suddenly asked, making Cooper realize he'd been lost in thought for too long.

"Yeah…" Cooper replied, giving Blaine the best smile he could muster. Their parents were busy chatting with a friend that had come over to their table to say hello.

"Are you sure?"

Cooper frowned, "Yeah… why?"

"Don't know… you just look a little distracted… Is something bothering you?"

"Um… no, I just had a bit of a rough night, but I'm fine squirt, promise." Cooper reassured Blaine, with a wink and a smile. Blaine didn't seen quite convinced, but he didn't ask any further questions and for that Cooper was grateful.

Once their parents were done talking to their friend, they focused back on the table and started chatting with Cooper and Blaine again. The conversation was ordinary and uninteresting to Cooper for the most part. It was mostly focused on Blaine, talking about his possible college choices and what his plans were for his coming senior year. Blaine however, seemed to be more excited about his current year and the upcoming show choir regionals competition.

"It's going to be amazing, we're all very excited. If we win, we could go to Nationals… in LA! Coop, wouldn't that be amazing?"

Cooper just nodded, smiling as he took a sip from his coffee. His father was sitting right across from Cooper and he could tell just by looking at the older man that he was less than thrilled to see Blaine so invested in performing arts.

"That's great honey," Blaine's mother said, clearly making an effort to appear more interested than his father and Cooper were. "Oh, aren't you going to compete against your old friends though? I heard Dalton was a finalist for Regionals as well."

At the sound of his mother's last sentence, Cooper's attention immediately peaked.

"Yeah, we're competing against The Warblers... Actually, I think they're our strongest competition this time."

"Competing against your former team mates, huh? That is going to be interesting." Blaine's father said, albeit a bit condescendingly.

"Well if they lost their main soloist ever since you transferred schools, surely they must be in disadvantage... You were their star!" Blaine's mother added, earning a smile from Blaine and a mild eye roll from her husband.

"Well… they have a new lead soloist now… and he is very talented." Blaine admitted warily, giving Cooper a knowing look. "His name is Sebastian... But we've been working really hard on our choreography so I'm sure we have good chances of beating them. Besides, we have a group of great female singers so that gives us and edge the Warblers don't have."

Blaine's mother nodded, looking impressed while his father focused on eating the rest of his fruit salad. Cooper on the other hand, was now thinking about the competition and how he hadn't really taken into consideration the fact that Sebastian would also be there.

 _Shit._  That complicated things for Cooper on a completely new level. Because what if Sebastian saw him in the audience along with Blaine and his parents? That wouldn't be good, in fact it would be a god damn mess.

"Um... When is the competition again?" Cooper asked.

"It's Friday... Friday at seven... You're coming to see us, right?" Blaine asked Cooper, who tried his best to put his most confident smile while his mind was reeling.

"Of course… I wouldn't miss it for the world." Cooper replied, but the truth was he had no idea what he was going to do.

…

Monday was even worse for Cooper than the weekend had been. He started feeling antsy and as a result, was moody and irritable, and the stress of the workweek was not doing him any favors. He tried his best to focus on work, but every minute that passed just served to remind him of Sebastian's absence.

They would always exchange texts or chat on Skype during the day, and the fact that all Cooper had from Sebastian now was silence was getting on his nerves. He didn't understand why Sebastian was ignoring him, and it was slowly driving him nuts. Things between them were fine… or at least they had been fine on Friday. So why was Sebastian not talking to him? Rationally, Cooper knew he had nothing to worry about, but still, he couldn't help but feel puzzled at the complete silence coming from Sebastian's end.

On Tuesday, Cooper started to get paranoid… his thoughts and emotions were a mess, and he was seriously worried. Cooper alternated between worrying about Sebastian finding out about him, and being angry at the fact that he was being ignored. Cooper couldn't help it. There was a big possibility that Sebastian had found out his true identity and that that was the reason why he was not speaking to him anymore… Cooper  _could_  freak out about that, if it wasn't for the fact that Sebastian's phone was completely turned off. That small detail was what gave Cooper the impression that there could be something else going on.

Besides, even though he hadn't known Sebastian for a long time, Cooper was sure that if Sebastian had found out something about his true identity, the silent treatment probably wouldn't be his first choice. Sebastian was outspoken and direct, and if he found out Cooper was lying to him, he would probably yell at him, tell him to fuck himself or worse… but silence? Silence had to mean something else, and Cooper just wished he could know what it was so he could stop obsessing about it.

Wednesday and Thursday went by in a blur for Cooper. He managed to psych himself up and try his best to be a functional adult, focusing on work and keeping his wandering mind away from Sebastian as much as possible. Truth be told, it hadn't been easy for him. Cooper had given in and tried calling Sebastian a few more times, but his phone was still turned off, and so Cooper realized he really could do nothing but wait.

Wait until Friday, when he was sure he would see Sebastian, even if only from a safe distance. Cooper spent Thursday night imagining all the things that could happen in case Sebastian saw him at the competition. His mind was split in two, part of him was panicking and coming up with possible excuses to tell Sebastian why he was at the regionals competition; but on the other hand, Cooper also considered the idea of just flat out coming clean to Sebastian... No matter the backlash. After all, if Sebastian was just ignoring him now, it probably meant he didn't want anything to do with him anymore, right? So it didn't matter if Sebastian found out he was Blaine's brother. Cooper could probably just tell Blaine it was a one-time mistake and that Sebastian was making things up in his head.

Deep down, Cooper felt like a petty asshole for even considering that, but he couldn't control his emotions. An entire week with no word from Sebastian had taken its toll on his sanity. Cooper hadn't realized how emotionally attached he was to the younger boy. Sebastian had become a big presence in his life, and despite how much it pained him to admit it, Cooper  _missed him._

On Friday, Cooper felt like his workday passed in a complete blur. The Show Choir Regionals competition was that day, and Blaine was more than excited about the whole thing. Cooper had even gone to see them practice on Thursday afternoon, and he had to admit the numbers they prepared were rather good. It made Cooper miss his old theatre days. Singing and dancing on stage was something that he always enjoyed.

Cooper decided on going by himself in his car and meeting up with his parents at the competition, claiming he had something to take care of and that he was going to be a little late. The truth was, Cooper wanted to get there when the competition had already started because he knew the lights would be turned off and that would diminish his chances of being spotted by Sebastian.

When Cooper arrived to the auditorium the first group was already performing. He quickly spotted his parents who were saving a seat for him. He texted Blaine to let him know he was already there, and got an instant reply with a smiley face. Cooper got there right on time to see the New Directions perform, and even though he was amazed at how good their performance was, Cooper couldn't help but feel anxious about the next group performing: The Dalton Academy Warblers.

Once the call was made for the Warblers to come on stage, Cooper's senses were on edge, scanning the rows of blazer clad boys in search of a certain tall, green-eyed warbler… but he was nowhere to be found.

 _Wasn't Sebastian supposed to be the lead soloist?_  Cooper had to make a double take, which was hard considering the choreography had the whole group moving around the stage… but by the time their first song had ended, Cooper realized Sebastian was definitely not there. There was another guy taking the lead in the songs, and Cooper could tell that the range of the notes was a little high for the guy, as he struggled to keep up during a couple of the verses. Why wasn't Sebastian there? Had something happened? Had he been expelled or something? Had he just quit the Warblers? This didn't make any sense.

"That lead singer has nothing on our Blaine." Cooper's mom whispered to him once The Warblers had finished performing, and Cooper just nodded absentmindedly, because  _that wasn't Sebastian_ , and the fact that the guy had struggled with the songs was a clear indication that he was not the one intended to be singing them in the first place. So what had happened?

As it was to be expected, the New Directions won the competition. Cooper's parents were happy and excited, and when Blaine finally came back to meet up with them after the whole thing ended, they hugged him and congratulated him.

"You were fantastic honey! We're so proud of you!" Blaine's mom said, hugging him tightly.

"Great job squirt!" Cooper said, patting him in the back. "You completely slaughtered those Dalton guys… they had nothing on you!"

"Thanks guys… I'm so excited… We're going to nationals!" Blaine said excitedly, and Cooper just ached to ask him about Sebastian, and why he hadn't been there at the competition like Blaine said he would, but Cooper knew he couldn't. Cooper had no logical reason to be asking, so he could do nothing but wait.

Cooper felt a horrible feeling growing inside him, he didn't understand what was happening, but now he knew something was definitely wrong. It wasn't until later when they were having dinner that Blaine brought up the subject matter in their conversation.

"I kinda feel bad for the Warblers in a way… those guys are my friends, and even though I'm super pumped about going to Nationals, it just sucks that they can't."

"That's because you left them baby," Blaine's mother said, "I'm not an expert by any means, but in my opinion that new soloist they have doesn't measure up to you at all!"

"Yeah it's kinda complicated." Blaine said, smiling but with concern covering his features as he spoke, "Nick wasn't supposed to sing lead, Sebastian was. But he couldn't perform because he is hospitalized. So Nick and Trent had to cover for him at the last minute, and they didn't have enough time to change their set-list songs to ones that fit their vocal range better."

"Hospitalized? What happened honey?" His mother asked, and Cooper's blood ran cold as he listened to what Blaine started to say.

"Nobody knows for certain, but apparently some guys jumped him in the parking lot of some bar, and beat him up pretty bad… That happened last Friday, and he's still in the hospital."

"Oh my god… honey, that's awful! What was he doing in a bar? Is he going to be okay?"

"I don't know… The guys say they haven't been able to visit him."

Blaine looked genuinely concerned, and Cooper felt like he wanted to scream. Now he knew the real reason why Sebastian's phone was turned off, and why he had been completely unreachable for the past week. Sebastian wasn't ignoring Cooper; he was in the hospital.

"Did they say why?" Cooper asked in a small voice... Trying hard to sound casual. "I mean… Why can't they visit him? Is it because they don't know what hospital he is in or something?"

"Oh no, it's not that…" Blaine quickly replied. "He is in the Mount Carmel Hospital apparently, they're just not letting anyone see him."

"He's not allowed to have visitors? Is he in the ICU or something?" Blaine's father asked, but Blaine just shrugged because he had no idea, and in that moment Cooper felt like he was drowning.

Cooper felt completely disconcerted, a thousand thoughts ran through his mind. At least he now knew what hospital Sebastian was in. Blaine kept talking about other things, changing the subject and focusing on their plans of going to LA with the New Directions, but Cooper didn't pay attention to a word his brother said. His body was present in that dinner table with his family, but his mind was elsewhere. Cooper felt desperate, he wanted nothing more than to just leave in that moment and rush to the hospital and see Sebastian, but he couldn't, and it was killing him.

That night, when he finally got back to his apartment, Cooper sat in his bed for the longest time, just staring into space and thinking about Sebastian. What Blaine said about Sebastian being jumped in a parking lot of a bar just didn't make sense to Cooper, especially if it happened last Friday. Cooper had been with Sebastian on Friday, and he left his house in quite a hurry… The phone call he got had startled Sebastian somehow, and he seemed upset and worried when he left. So what would Sebastian be doing in a bar later that night? It didn't make any sense… but either way, that wasn't what mattered. Sebastian was hurt, he was in the hospital god knows how badly injured, and all this time Cooper had been thinking that he was just ignoring him. Cooper felt stupid and helpless, he should have known something was wrong, but his ego had gotten the best of him. Now he knew he had to go see Sebastian no matter what.

So the next day, Cooper drove down to the hospital first thing in the morning. He didn't know what he was thinking… he just knew he needed to see Sebastian. Cooper couldn't wait any longer; he needed to know if Sebastian was okay.

Cooper walked over to the front desk and felt adrenaline and stress running through him. The lady standing behind the desk looked at him concerned.

"May I help you?" She said, and Cooper hesitated for half a second before responding. What was he even doing there? What was he going to tell Sebastian? How would he even justify how he found out that Sebastian was hospitalized? It didn't matter, Cooper just needed to see him.

"Sebastian Smythe." Cooper finally said, "I'm here to see Sebastian Smythe… can you tell me what room he is in?"

The lady checked her computer and after a few clicks she turned to look at Cooper again. "I'm afraid he was discharged yesterday."

"Oh… okay, thank you." Cooper said, quickly walking away from the lady and rushing back to his car. He felt his stomach twisting, part of him felt relieved to know Sebastian was no longer hospitalized, but the other part was still worried sick, wondering how Sebastian was doing. Cooper took out his phone and dialed Sebastian's number, but the phone was still turned off. Once Cooper cut the call, he slammed his hands repeatedly against the steering wheel of his car, screaming in frustration. Cooper knew Sebastian lived with his parents and that he couldn't just show up at his doorstep, and it was killing him inside.

Cooper went back to his apartment with the hope that now that Sebastian was out of the hospital, he would eventually call him. If Cooper had been stressing about Sebastian contacting him the last week, now it was a million times worse. So Cooper decided to email him, certain that eventually Sebastian would get to read his message and know that Cooper was thinking of him, and worrying about his sudden disappearance. Cooper doubted Blaine's story of Sebastian being at a bar was true, but he couldn't know, and he really,  _really_  needed to.

 **To:**  Sebastian Smythe.

 **From:**  Cooper Andrews

 **Subject:**  Hey babe

So… I've been calling you for the passed week, and your phone has been turned off the whole time. It's never been this long without us talking… Is something wrong? Are you okay? I'm really worried babe, please just give me a sign that you're okay. Call me, email me, anything... please. I don't know what's wrong. But I miss you.

Speak soon.

Cooper.

It was by far the most vaguely pathetic thing Cooper had ever emailed anyone, but he was just desperate and didn't know how else to talk to Sebastian. He needed to let him know he missed him, and that he was worried about him without giving away that he knew Sebastian was hurt. Cooper's hope was that Sebastian would read his email and reply, giving him a sign that he was alive and well. Every moment that passed without a reply from Sebastian only made Cooper's heart sink further. Cooper was desperate to know how Sebastian was doing… but several days passed and Cooper still didn't have any kind of reply.

It wasn't until Friday that week when Cooper finally heard from Sebastian. He'd been at work when he got the email notification for this alternate email account, and he'd almost jumped out of his seat when he'd seen Sebastian's email.

 **To:**  Cooper Andrews

 **From:**  Sebastian Smythe

 **Subject:**  Re: Hey babe

I am so sorry for disappearing. It's just... Something happened, and I need to talk to you… But it has to be in person. Can we meet me at the West Cafe today at 4? I know you're working but… Can you make it?

S-

Sebastian's message was short, and somehow did little to ease Cooper's worries, but at least he felt relieved to know that he was finally going to see Sebastian again. Cooper quickly typed his response, telling Sebastian that he would be there to meet him at 4. Cooper didn't care about having to leave work early, and that that was bound to bother a couple of people, including his father. No, Cooper didn't care in the slightest; nothing else mattered as much as finally getting to see Sebastian again.

...

Cooper left work early, he didn't even tell his dad, just emailed him when he was already in his car, pulling out of the building. The drive to the coffee place seemed miles long with how anxious Cooper was feeling.

When Cooper got there he took a couple of seconds to psych himself up before getting out of his car. When Cooper finally walked into the small coffee shop, he spotted Sebastian and immediately felt his heart clench. Sebastian was sitting by himself in a table way in the back, wearing his Dalton uniform and looking down at his coffee cup. This couldn't be good, Sebastian wasn't just wearing the pants and shirt like the last time Cooper had seen him, this time he was wearing his blazer and tie as well. Sebastian looked so young and small, and even from the door Cooper could see how badly bruised Sebastian's face still was.

Cooper slowly approached the table, his heart beating a bit faster with every cautious step he took. It didn't take long for Sebastian to see him, and his smile was tight and sad when he made eye contact with Cooper. Sebastian looked awkward and self-conscious, a vast opposite from his usual confident and easygoing demeanor. Cooper ached to just be able to kiss Sebastian and make him smile wide and confident like he always used to… but he knew now was not the time.

Cooper tried to stay calm as best as he could, not quite succeeding to even smile back at Sebastian when his heart was breaking at the sight before him. Sebastian's face was badly bruised on his left side. His eye was still a little swollen, the skin around it a dark purple fading into greens and yellows on the edges right over his cheekbone. When Cooper finally sat down, he noticed there was a fading bruise on Sebastian's chin, and a small cut that was almost healed over the side of his lower lip as well. All Cooper could think of was that if this is how Sebastian's face looked now, two weeks ago it must have been ten times worse. The thought alone made Cooper's blood boil; he wanted nothing more than for Sebastian to tell him who had done this to him so he could go after them himself.

"Hey..." Cooper managed to say, after a couple of seconds of awkward glances and silence.

"Hi… Um, thanks for coming." Sebastian replied meekly.

"Of course... Babe, what happened?" Cooper asked, reaching out to grab Sebastian's hand across the table. Sebastian looked down at Cooper's hand and took it, letting Cooper intertwine their fingers together softly. His smile was still sad though, and Cooper didn't quite know what to expect.

"You're hurt… who did this to you?" Cooper asked, and he could see the hesitation behind Sebastian's eyes as he just looked at him nervously.

"Well… I…" Sebastian started, and Cooper could tell he was struggling inside. "I kinda… got into a fight."

Cooper squinted his eyes, not believing Sebastian for one second. "A fight... Where? Why?"

Sebastian sighed softly, and winced like he was in pain. His grip on Cooper's hand tightened for a split second before letting go, pulling his hand back and bringing it to hold his coffee cup again.

"I need to be honest with you Cooper… I haven't been, and I can't do it anymore…"

"You didn't get into a fight, did you?" Cooper asked, looking straight into Sebastian's eyes, and in that moment he saw the brave facade Sebastian was desperately trying to put up just crumble before him.

"No… I didn't."

"Who did this to you?"

"It doesn't matter now…" Sebastian said.

"Yes it matters... It matters to me!"

"Well it shouldn't!" Sebastian snapped, and when Cooper looked into Sebastian's eyes he saw something he'd never seen before: desperation. Sebastian looked like he was on the verge of tears. Cooper didn't want to push him, but at the same time he wanted to know what was really going on, so he decided to just stay silent and wait for whatever it was Sebastian wanted to tell him.

"I can't tell you." Sebastian admitted defeatedly, "I don't want to lie to you… but I can't. I can't do it anymore…  _we_  can't do this anymore."

"What do you mean?" Cooper asked, dreading where Sebastian was going with this.

Sebastian smiled sadly, gesturing at his clothes. "I'm still in school Cooper…  _Highschool._  I lied to you about my age, and about being in college. I lied because I wanted to impress you, and because I thought we'd only ever have a one-night thing… I never imagined we could get close the way we did. Being with you has been amazing in a way I never imagined, but we can't do this anymore."

"Wait, no… What are you saying?"

"That day at your apartment, I was going to tell you the truth. I wanted to tell you the truth because I… I  _hate_  lying to you, and I was just going to take the risk… I was going to come clean and hope you didn't hate me for it… In my head I was hoping we could still be together, but now I realize this is just asking for disaster, and you're probably better off without me."

"Don't say that, Sebastian… Don't push me away now." Cooper pleaded, trying to grab Sebastian's hand again, but Sebastian pulled his hand back and brought it up to his face, wiping off his eye before a tear managed to escape.

"We can't be together, Coop."

"Yes we can."

"No… You don't understand." Sebastian said, smiling sadly as he pointed his finger to his own face. "You see this? My father did it... And you know what? It's not even the first time he's done it… He just had never landed me in the hospital before."

Cooper's eyes went wide at Sebastian's confession, he was shocked, angry and at a complete loss for words.

"Look… I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me. This is just how it is… I'm just a kid who has to deal with a homophobic asshole father and you are probably better off without this shit. I'm fine, I can deal with it, but I don't want to drag you into it."

Cooper just looked at Sebastian like he was insane. Sebastian couldn't possibly expect Cooper to stay away from him, especially not after revealing that horrible truth about his home life. Sebastian's expression was hard and guarded again, but Cooper wasn't going to let go so easy.

"Did you tell the police?" Was what Cooper said after a couple of seconds of silence, and Sebastian just frowned.

"No."

"Why? Sebastian, your father can't get away with this… you have to tell the police so they can lock him away and he can't hurt you anymo-"

"Are you insane?" Sebastian cut him off. "I don't want  _anyone_  to know about this. I refuse to become a sob-story for people to gossip about! I can take care of myself. I told the people in the hospital that I'd been jumped in a parking lot, and that I didn't know the people who beat me up, but they didn't really believe me. They're still investigating, but they can't do anything unless I tell them the truth… which I won't."

"Why not? What your father did is inexcusable Sebastian. You shouldn't protect him!"

"Protect him?" Sebastian snorted, "I'm not protecting him… My dad is in deep shit because of what he did. If I go to the police, his career will be over. Being a state's attorney, he can't afford the media finding out about the scumbag he really is. So now I have him right where I want to."

Cooper was shocked; he didn't understand the logic of what Sebastian was saying.

"He can't touch me now… He wouldn't dare to." Sebastian said, his expression softening again. "Look… Things are just a mess right now, but in a couple of months I'll be eighteen, and soon I'll move out and go away for college… And you… Eventually, you'll be done with your project here in Ohio and will have to go back to LA… remember?"

"So you want us to break up before we even have the chance to be anything." It wasn't even a question. Cooper just realized that was exacly what Sebastian was doing.

"I'm just saving you the trouble of being involved in the mess that is my life." Sebastian replied, eyes full of longing and sadness. "I wish things could be different… Cooper, you're the best thing that has happened to me this year… or, ever. But you're really, really better off without me."

Sebastian's voice cracked a little at the end of that last sentence, his eyes were rimmed red with unshed tears and Cooper felt a knot in his throat and the sting of tears welling behind his eyes as well. This was it, Sebastian was breaking up with him, and Cooper was frozen because this was not how he ever imagined Sebastian would approach things. Cooper felt like complete and utter shit, because he had been lying to Sebastian too, but he didn't have the heart to come clean to him. Not when Sebastian was already so lost and broken, and when knowing Cooper had been deceiving him from the start would be too much of a low blow. He didn't have the heart to reveal himself. So when Sebastian got up from the table, Cooper just sat there, frozen and torn.

"I'm really sorry, Cooper." Was the last thing Sebastian said before walking away.

As soon as Sebastian left the coffee shop, Cooper panicked. His heart was split in two. A part of him knew Sebastian was right, and that staying together was just asking for disaster but a stronger part of him was selfishly aching to grab onto Sebastian and never let him go… Cooper didn't want to lose him…  _he couldn't_. Cooper tried to picture his life without Sebastian, and realized it would suck. He knew things couldn't last, but he was too selfish to let go right now.

So in a whim, Cooper got up and rushed towards the door. He spotted Sebastian walking towards the parking lot and ran after him.

"Sebastian, wait!" He yelled, and when Sebastian turned around, Cooper saw he was crying. Something broke inside Cooper right then, and he ached to do anything to make Sebastian feel cared for and happy again.

Before Sebastian could even say anything, Cooper walked up to him and cradled his face with both hands gently, pressing their lips together. The kiss was unlike any other they'd ever shared before. It was barely a soft press of the lips, but the feeling behind it was pleading and desperate. Sebastian didn't push him away, but Cooper would tell he was crying against his lips, and when Cooper broke the kiss the look on Sebastian's eyes was like a stab to the chest.

"Tell me you feel nothing for me…" Cooper said, on the verge of tears himself. "Tell me that you don't want me anymore, and I will leave you alone."

Sebastian's eyes were wide and confused, and he looked like he was desperately trying to find words but couldn't say anything. He closed his eyes and shook his head as more tears streamed down his face.

"It's not that, Coop..." Sebastian said, grabbing onto Coopers wrists where his hands were still holding his face. "It's just-"

"Then stay with me." Cooper begged, "Don't push me away…  _please_. I know we don't have much time… but I don't care. I don't care if I'll lose you when you go to college, or if I ever have to get back to LA. We can still be together now… we still have today. I just can't be without you babe... I can't."

"W-what are you saying?"

"I'm saying t-that…" Cooper stuttered, but looking into Sebastian's pleading eyes got to him and before he could stop himself he just blurted it out: "I think I love you..."

Sebastian breath hitched, but he said nothing, he just gaped, so Cooper leaned in and kissed him again.

Cooper's heart was beating so hard that he felt like it was going to come out of his chest, but he didn't care, when he felt Sebastian melt into the kiss and put his arms around him, Cooper knew it was worth it.

"I love you, Sebastian… and I  _can't_  lose you." Cooper said against Sebastian lips, and he really meant it. Cooper _needed_ Sebastian, and he refused to let him go.

Its ironic how later Cooper would look back at this moment and wish that he had.


	11. Chapter 11

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Cooper asked Blaine from the other side of the couch. They were watching TV at Cooper's apartment, since Blaine had stopped by to visit.

"Um… I'm going to Dalton in the afternoon, and then I'm not sure. I think maybe I will go to Kurt's house or something... Why?"

"Mom invited me over for dinner and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to do anything after that. Why are you going to Dalton anyway?" Cooper asked, confused, but Blaine just rolled his eyes.

"I  _told_ you like two weeks ago… The guys are putting something together for Jeff's brother's engagement party and they invited me to sing with them."

"You told me? When?" Cooper was completely clueless.

"Yes I did." Blaine said; a bit annoyed. "When we were getting dinner with mom and dad after regionals."

"Oh… Sorry." Cooper had been so distracted when Blaine told them about Sebastian being in the hospital that he hadn't paid attention to anything else Blaine had said after that.

"So, does that mean you have no plans for Friday night then? That's a first!" Blaine teased and Cooper just smiled.

"Yeah... I'll just go home and relax I guess."

"Well… I'm free Saturday, Kurt is going away with his family for the weekend, we could do something if you want."

Cooper nodded and smiled, but he knew Saturday wasn't an option for him, because that was his and Sebastian's day, and Cooper didn't like making plans of any kind unless they involved Sebastian. Especially now that they were "officially together." The past couple of weeks with Sebastian still recovering from his injuries there hadn't been much he and Cooper could do. Sebastian's dad had gone out of town, the fucking coward, and Sebastian's mother was smothering him, barely letting him out except to go to school. Cooper wished he could visit Sebastian at home, but he knew that was impossible.

Sebastian's injuries had all healed for the most part, but he had a broken rib, which was going to take a long time to heal. Sebastian was prescribed pain medication, but all he could really do was wait it out. The doctor said it could be up to two months until the pain completely disappeared, and Sebastian had to be careful and not strain himself and risk making it worse.

It definitely had been an adjustment for the both of them, because their relationship had always been very physical; but sex was completely out of the question now when it was hard for Sebastian to do basic things like walking or lying down without being extremely uncomfortable or in pain. Sebastian couldn't even breathe properly without it hurting so even their light make out sessions had to be cut short sometimes when they were starting to get a little 'too excited'.

It was incredibly frustrating for the both of them at first, but it also opened an opportunity for them to spend more quality time together. They talked more now, got to know each other better and spent entire afternoons just cuddling and holding each other. It was intimate and romantic in a way that their relationship hadn't been before, and it was a nice change once they got used to it. Cooper still ached to be able to touch Sebastian and get him naked, but he knew he had to control himself.

Part of that control was realizing that he couldn't spend as much time as he wanted with Sebastian because they had to worry about appeasing Sebastian's mom and work around the permissions he could get to go out while he still wasn't fully recovered from his injuries.

So Sebastian and him wouldn't be able to see each other on Friday, but Cooper knew on Saturday they definitely would. He would just have to figure out what to tell Blaine so he could go out with him some other time, after all, that is what Cooper had been doing for a few months now. Lying and tiptoeing around his family for the sake of seeing Sebastian.

...

"Blaine! So glad you could make it!" Nick greeted him once Blaine came through the doors of Dalton's Senior Commons on Friday afternoon.

"Of course! Wouldn't miss this for the world." Blaine said, smiling widely as he was greeted by his old friends. After saying hi to everyone he noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Sebastian?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, he's not coming." Jeff said, and Blaine frowned.

"Why not? Are you guys mad at him again or something?"

"Oh no... That's not it!" Jeff explained, "We're cool... It's just, Seb can't really do anything right now because of his broken rib. He's still pretty roughed up."

"Yeah... It's gonna take a long time to heal. " Trent added.

"Oh... Wow." Blaine had no idea Sebastian was that badly injured. He remembered how much he had been hurt when the guys at his old school beat him up and immediately felt sympathetic towards Sebastian.

"He can't really move around much or even sit down without wincing." Jeff said. "So singing and dancing are completely out of the question."

"That's gotta suck... He missed regionals because he was in the hospital, and now he'll miss this too." Blaine said, feeling bad for Sebastian.

"Well... Don't think he's too sad about it, especially now that he's keeping himself otherwise occupied." Trent said, snickering.

The rest of the guys smiled knowingly and Blaine suddenly felt out of the loop. Noticing his confused expression, Nick quickly explained.

"Oh... you don't know? Sebastian's got himself a hot new boyfriend!"

"W-what? Really?" Blaine was a bit surprised and even impressed. "I never took Sebastian for the boyfriend type. Who is the guy? Does he go to Dalton too?"

"No, he's not from school." Nick replied.

"We actually don't know who he is... Sebastian won't even tell us his name!" Jeff huffed. "It's ridiculous."

"Really? Why not?" Blaine asked.

"Well I have a theory..." Trent said, smiling mischievously. "I think he is an older guy... He must be like, in his thirties or something, and that's why Sebastian won't tell us anything about him."

They all remained quiet for a couple of seconds, thinking about Trent's words until Thad broke the silence.

"Oh my god... What if they guy's married?" He said, horrified.

"Whoa dude, don't say that!" Jeff reprimanded him, but Thad just shrugged.

"I'm just saying, if he was just a regular guy then why the all the secrecy and mystery? We all know Sebastian is seeing someone... All he does lately is stare at his phone and smile like a love sick puppy."

"Aw, are you jealous Thad, is that it?" Trent accused, to which Thad reacted looking offended by rolling his eyes and shoving him playfully.

"Definitely not!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and after their giggles started to die out, Jeff called their attention back to the real reason they had gotten together in the first place. He started talking about their ideas for what song they could sing, listing a couple of his brother's favorites while the group listened attentively. Blaine was trying his best to pay attention but he couldn't help but feel a bit conflicted inside. It was great that Sebastian had a boyfriend; Blaine just hoped it wasn't really some old, married dude. After all, Sebastian always had a way of getting himself in trouble.

...

The truth was, Sebastian had no interest in performing with the Warblers for Jeff's brother's engagement party. He was still feeling guilty about them losing at regionals, even though it hadn't really been his fault. But Sebastian knew it was because of his sudden absence that The Warblers had lost to the New Directions. Not that the Warblers would ever let him take it upon himself, they had all been extremely supportive throughout his recovery, but Sebastian couldn't help feeling like they were only making a big deal out of this engagement party thing because they had nothing better do for the remainder of the school year. With no trip to Nationals to focus on, the Warblers pretty much had no real purpose, at least that was how Sebastian felt about the whole thing.

The Warblers didn't care, and still wanted to make Sebastian feel like a part of the group, but that only made Sebastian feel worse. He was having a hard time learning how to handle himself without being in pain, so singing was completely out of his reach right now. He also had to quit Lacrosse, because it was going to take him a long time to recover from his broken rib, and he couldn't risk getting hurt again during practice.

Everything sucked, but at least Sebastian could take comfort in knowing he had Cooper. Sure, he would love to be able to sing and dance with the Warblers, but nothing compared to how much he enjoyed being in Cooper's company.

On Saturday, Sebastian was able to get out of the house once his mother went out to the country club to her biweekly book club meeting. Sebastian was glad he could get away from her, since he had barely seen Cooper all week. He was fine now, but his mother seemed to be set on never letting him out of her sight.

"God, I missed you so much." Cooper whispered into Sebastian's hair once he got to his apartment.

"You saw me on Wednesday." Sebastian teased, nibbling a bit con Cooper's ear as they hugged. "But I missed you too."

They kissed softly on the lips before going inside. Cooper was making lunch and the apartment smelled absolutely delicious.

"What are you making?" Sebastian asked, walking towards the kitchen.

"Greek chicken… You like artichoke hearts, don't you?"

"Um… I don't think I've ever tried them."

"That's completely unacceptable!" Cooper replied, feigning shock. "What are they even feeding you in that house of yours?"

Sebastian just shrugged, "Apparently everything except artichoke hearts. But, um… They look kinda gross."

"They're delicious!" Cooper said defensively once he saw the face Sebastian made, "You haven't even tried them, don't be a child."

"Fine… I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, just because whatever you're making there smells delicious."

"I told you… It's  _Greek Chicken!"_

"Yeah okay, whatever you say babe." Sebastian laughed, leaning to kiss Cooper on the cheek as he kept stirring the food on the stove. Cooper felt a warm feeling bloom inside him as he felt Sebastian's lips against his skin.

When they finally sat down to eat, Sebastian actually loved the artichoke hearts, which made Cooper ridiculously proud of his cooking skills. They ate until they were completely stuffed and then moved to the bedroom so they could lie down and relax.

Time flew by as Sebastian and Cooper just stayed in bed, watching TV and kissing every now and then. Sebastian felt better while being at Cooper's apartment than at his own house, he just wished time would go by slower when he was there, but alas, the afternoon flew by and soon it was already dark. Sebastian knew it wouldn't be long before his mother started calling him on the phone.

They were watching a movie when Sebastian's phone started buzzing in the night table, where he'd left it. Sebastian just ignored it, letting it buzz until it stopped.

"Aren't you gonna get that?" Cooper asked when it started buzzing a second time.

"No… It's probably my mom." Sebastian groaned. "If I pick up she will want me to tell her where I am or tell me to go home and I don't want to do either of those things."

The phone stopped buzzing and Cooper sat up so he could reach for it.

"It  _was_ your mom."

"Told you."

The phone started buzzing a third time while Cooper was holding it and he just stared at Sebastian, holding the phone out for him and wondering if he was going to get it or not, but Sebastian just grabbed the phone from Cooper's hand and tossed it aside. Sebastian then grabbed Cooper by the collar of his shirt and pulled him down so he could kiss him instead.

Needless to say, Cooper and Sebastian completely forgot about that phone for a long time after that. It was almost one hour later when Sebastian finally decided to call his mother. He wasn't going to, but he got a text from her and it was clearly obvious she was getting upset cause she was threatening to locate his car's GPS again. Sebastian figured a simple text reply wouldn't be enough to calm her down.

_"Sebastian... Where are you? I've been calling you for ages!"_

"Sorry... I didn't have my phone with me. We were playing video games." Sebastian lied. He'd told his mom he would be going over to Trent's. It was a safe lie, since he was the only one of the Warblers who didn't live with his parents. Trent lived with his grandfather, and Sebastian knew his mother had no way of being aquatinted to him whatsoever.

_"Well, it's getting late... You should come home now."_

"Um, actually..." Sebastian said, faking concern, "I... I'm staying for dinner. Trent's grandfather invited me and I already said yes, it would be rude for me to leave now."

Sebastian heard his mother sigh on the other side of the line. "Fine... But please come home right after you're done. Okay?"

"Okay. Bye mom."

"Are you hungry?" Cooper asked once Sebastian hung up.

"Hmmm... No. I'm still feeling quite stuffed from lunch. I just don't want to leave yet."

Sebastian hated to sound so needy, but it was true, he didn't want to go back to his house.

"Then don't leave." Cooper whispered against Sebastian's lips before kissing him again. Sebastian reached up to trail his hands up from Cooper's neck and down his back as they kissed slowly and languidly. After a couple of minutes of steady kissing, Sebastian could feel himself starting to get hard. He could tell Cooper was hard too, and that made it even more frustrating when they had to stop. Sebastian tried to resist as much as he could, but it wasn't long before his rib started hurting from staying in the same position for too long.

Cooper knew when to stop… He had learned to read into Sebastian's small breaths to know when it was becoming too much. He gently broke the kiss and looked into Sebastian's eyes as he shifted so they both could sit up a little.

"Does it hurt?" Cooper asked, concerned.

"No, it's just bothering me a little... Sorry."

They both sat up, getting a few pillows so they could rest against the headboard. Sebastian smiled sadly and Cooper grabbed his hand, pulling it up to his lips so he could kiss it.

"Are you okay babe?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just... Thinking about my mom and stuff at home." Sebastian shrugged.

"When's your dad coming back?"

"My dad? I don't really know. My guess is Probably next week, but I have no idea when."

Cooper remained thoughtful for a while, and Sebastian could tell there was something bothering him.

"What is it?" Sebastian asked but Cooper just shook his head, smiling sadly.

"Nothing... I just don't want you to be around him babe, that's all."

"I don't want to be around him either." Sebastian admitted with a wry smile. "But it's okay... I'll just stay out of the house as much as I can, that will keep me out of his way for the most part."

Cooper didn't seem convinced at all. "I don't know… You know how I feel about all this. I think you should have told the police about what happened." He said, kissing Sebastian's forehead.

"Coop... We've talked about this." Sebastian said with a long sigh.

"I know... I'm sorry. I just can't even think about him hurting you again."

"He won't."

"You can't know that."

"Neither can you… so stop worrying, please."

Sebastian knew he was being stubborn, but he just didn't want Cooper worrying or feeling sorry for him.

"I just can't believe your mom didn't say anything either." Cooper said, and Sebastian knew he wouldn't be able to change the subject even if he wanted to. "She seems to be worried about you, I'm sure she cares about you so why didn't she tell the police?"

"She would never go against dad…" Sebastian sighed, "You know she actually suggested that I should board at Dalton for the remainder of the school year? You know, for the few months before I have to go to college?"

"What? Why?"

"Yeah... Cause she knows once dad comes back things will be tense around the house. So she would rather send me away than deal with it."

"You're joking."

"I'm really not… She has brought it up a couple of times this week, actually. I think that means dad must be coming home soon. She just won't tell me when."

Cooper remained thoughtful for a while. "Hmm… That  _would_  probably keep you safer though." He admitted.

"It  _would_  also keep me away from you." Sebastian reminded him, "Dalton's curfew sucks… They're really strict about it, so I wouldn't really be able to see you, except for the weekends maybe."

"Oh... That wouldn't be good."

"Exactly. So there's no way I'm doing that."

Sebastian cupped Cooper's face and brought their lips back together gently. There was no more talking after that, just lots of slow and steady kisses. It was torture to have to leave Cooper and go back home, but Sebastian knew that is the way things had to be for now.

They saw each other again on Sunday, managing to go out and get a cup of coffee together in the afternoon. After that, they headed back to Cooper's apartment and hung out for a little while before Sebastian had to go back home.

Sebastian's father returned home on Tuesday the next week, and when Sebastian told Cooper about it, he immediately turned very protective. Cooper made Sebastian promise him that he would go to his apartment every day after school. The idea was to spend as much time together as they possibly could so Sebastian would stay out of his own house as much as possible.

Things at Sebastian's house were awkward and tense, to say the least. His father was never home, and neither was Sebastian. His mother had changed her attitude towards Sebastian in a way, leaning more towards appeasing her husband and keeping Sebastian at a safe distance from him; but Sebastian wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

Sebastian had told her was that he would go to the police and tell them the truth if his dad ever touched him again, so she was playing referee, trying to keep them both out of each other's way as best as she could.

Every time she brought up the subject of boarding at Dalton, Sebastian flat out told her to change the subject or he just walked away.

At school, Sebastian tried his best to just apply himself and do what he needed to. It had been awkward the first couple of weeks after he got out of the hospital. People wanted to know the story of what happened to him, and would always ask him questions about the police investigation and whether they had any clues about who the people who'd beat him up were. It was actually exhausting for Sebastian to have to talk about it so much, so he kept avoiding the subject with the excuse that it brought him bad memories.

It was too bad Sebastian didn't want to pursue a career as an actor, because with all that had been happening in his life, he was getting really good at pretending. At least things with Cooper were going fine. Sebastian could finally be honest with him and was deeply in love in a way that he had never experienced before. That alone definitely helped Sebastian get through the most difficult days.

What his dad did had taken a toll on Sebastian and not just physically. He thought he could be okay with being under the same roof as his father, but he soon found himself feeling skittish and jumpy all the time, choosing to lock himself in his room and avoiding the rest of the house as much as he could. Just looking at his father made Sebastian's stomach clench and his blood boil. It was awful, but having the support of his boyfriend made Sebastian feel stronger.

So every day after school, Sebastian would stay a while longer in the library, waiting until it was time for Cooper to get out of work so he could go to his apartment and spend the afternoon there. It was a routine that they slowly got into, and it worked fine most days. Except for the times when Cooper got caught up at the office and got out a little late. Sebastian waited inside his car or in the hallway but it wasn't really comfortable, so without hesitation Cooper decided to give Sebastian a key to his apartment.

"Wow… a key. Are you sure about this?" Sebastian asked, not being able to hide his smile.

"Of course. You should have one. I keep leaving it under the rug for emergencies anyway so it's better if you have it. I want you to be able to come here whenever you want."

"Is that so?" Sebastian smirked and Cooper kissed him softly on the lips.

"Of course…. Besides, I feel guilty that you had to wait outside for so long today. I just got stuck in a meeting and couldn't get out until now, I'm really sorry."

"It's okay… You're here now, that's all that matters."

"Oh… What an amazing and understanding boyfriend I have!" Cooper said, smiling against Sebastian's lips. "I'm so lucky."

"You're lucky that I love you…" Sebastian replied, crossing his hands behind Cooper's neck. "Otherwise I'd be long gone."

"Oh is that so?" Cooper teased, spanking Sebastian's butt through his Dalton slacks and causing them both to burst into giggles.

Sebastian had always made fun of people being in love, all the talk about butterflies and puppy eyes used to make him gag, but now he couldn't deny that he was one of those people. He loved Cooper, and Cooper loved him. It was completely amazing in a way that Sebastian ever imagined, and it made him happier than anything else in his life at the moment.

Every day after school, Sebastian went to Cooper's place. Sometimes, when he'd get there before Cooper was home, he'd just go inside using his key and did his homework while he waited for Cooper to get there. They did that almost every day with the exception of a weeknight or two when Cooper had to unavoidably visit his parents. On those nights Cooper made up an excuse about a late meeting or business dinner, and Sebastian never made a big deal about it. In fact, Sebastian was actually afraid Cooper would soon get bored of him, or that they were seeing each other too much, but Cooper never seemed to care. He was always attentive, engaging and all around perfect… almost too good to be true.

There was a nagging feeling inside of Sebastian, and he couldn't quite put a finger on it. He guessed part of it was just the knowledge that soon they would have to part ways and it was going to be a really difficult thing to do with how much Sebastian loved Cooper. Breaking up when Sebastian had to finally leave for college would be really hard. They had only spoken about it that day in the parking lot of the coffee shop, when Cooper had refused to let Sebastian break up with him. Cooper said that just because that moment would be inevitable it didn't mean that they couldn't enjoy what they had while it lasted. So they had agreed to make the most of the time they had left together before Sebastian had to go to college, but that didn't mean Sebastian was completely fine with it.

However, every time Sebastian tried to breach the subject with Cooper, he would get the same response.

"I love you babe, but I don't want you to choose your future education just because of us. Do what you  _really_ want to do, and we'll figure something out."

Sebastian had actually applied to Brown, Yale and Stanford; but he had yet to hear back from them. He didn't know if he would get into any of them, though he knew his chances were good or at least that's what he hoped. He had always wanted to keep his options open, and that's why he applied to the three of them. Still, Sebastian secretly wished to just be able to go to California for college so he could be close to where Cooper was going to be whenever had to go back to LA. Stanford wasn't exactly close to LA but it was better than being in the other side of the country.

Sebastian was deep in thought as he and Cooper were lying in bed together, watching TV. Sebastian had his head rested in Cooper's chest, and Cooper had his arm around Sebastian's shoulder, absentmindedly tracing small circles in his hair. The position was starting to bother Sebastian, and he hated that he had to move, but his rib wouldn't let him stay much time in the same position.

"Are you okay?" Cooper asked, concerned when he saw the face Sebastian made as he untangled himself from Cooper's side.

"Yeah... I think I'm just gonna lie on my back for a while."

Cooper turned to his side so he could face Sebastian, and they stared at each other for a few seconds before Cooper leaned down and kissed Sebastian softly on the lips.

"Does it hurt?" Cooper asked, putting his hand over Sebastian's side, where the broken rib was.

"Not much… it just bothers me sometimes." Sebastian replied with a soft smile. He was telling the truth, it had been a month now, and Sebastian felt a little better with every day that passed. Sometimes he thought the pain was gone for good, but then he would move a certain way or stay too long in a same position and that is when it would start hurting again. It was a silent reminder that told him he was not quite recovered yet, and it sucked.

Cooper kissed Sebastian, first in his forehead and then on his nose before pressing their lips together. Sebastian slowly relaxed into the kiss, melting into Cooper as he slowly unbuttoned his shirt, sliding his palm over Sebastian's chest and making his breath hitch.

Cooper stopped when he felt Sebastian's breath hitch. "You okay?" He asked again, and Sebastian just nodded, closing his eyes as he focused on the feeling of Cooper's hands on him. The touch wasn't sexual, but it was intimate in a way that was making Sebastian feel lightheaded.

Cooper tried his best to be careful with Sebastian nowadays because he knew they couldn't get carried away. Still, he unbuttoned his shirt and exposed his chest, tracing his palms over it slowly and almost reverently. Cooper smiled sadly, thinking about the previous times he had unbuttoned Sebastian's shirt only to find scrapes and bruises all over his freckled skin.

Cooper wanted nothing more than to love and care for Sebastian, and show him just how amazing he was in every way that he could. There was something Cooper couldn't quite explain blooming inside him, it felt stronger than love. He knew that he loved Sebastian, but he also felt very protective of him. The truth was that all this time they had been spending together had shown him a whole new side of Sebastian that Cooper never imagined. Sebastian always seemed to be so confident and easygoing, but on the inside he was also a very vulnerable and lonely person. Now that Cooper had gotten to know him better, Cooper realized he was one of the only people that Sebastian ever was truly himself with, and that was something he cherished a lot.

It wasn't easy though, because the more Cooper thought about it, the worse he felt about the fact that he was still lying to him. But Cooper didn't want to tell Sebastian the truth because he didn't want to hurt him. No, Cooper was just going to love him as best as he could, so that when Sebastian went away to College, he would have nothing but good memories of their time together.

Cooper figured people grew apart all the time, and so would he and Sebastian once he moved away to another state. Cooper knew it wouldn't be hard for Sebastian to make new friends and meet someone new when he started college. It was bittersweet to think about, but Cooper really thought it was the best way to go about things. At this point, Cooper loved Sebastian too much to hurt him with the truth. He was being a coward, and selfish too, but Cooper didn't know what else to do.

Weeks passed by and Cooper and Sebastian did the best they could do with the time they spent together. They went out on dinner and coffee dates sometimes too; but always to places both of them knew they wouldn't risk running into people they knew. They also spent a lot of time just kissing and cuddling, watching TV and cooking at Cooper's apartment.

One time, they fell asleep after watching a movie, and completely lost track of time. When Cooper woke up, he realized it was already 10:30 and Sebastian was still there.

"Seb… Babe, wake up."

"Uh… What?" Sebastian groaned.

"It's late, you have to go home or your mom will kill you."

"Oh crap, it's true. Damn." Sebastian scrambled up the bed, quickly running to get his things so he could leave. Cooper walked with him downstairs to his car.

"Will I see you tomorrow?" Sebastian asked as Cooper kissed him goodbye.

"I can't tomorrow…" Cooper said apologetically, "I have a business dinner thing. You can still come if you want, you know you can stay at my place even if I'm not here." Cooper insisted, but Sebastian just shook his head, smiling.

"I'll be fine, don't worry."

"I'll see you on Thursday then?" Cooper asked but now it was Sebastian's turn to say no.

"I can't… I'm going to the doctor with my mom. It's my last follow up appointment, remember?"

Cooper smiled at that. "Oh… Right, I forgot."

"You forgot, really?" Sebastian said, an eyebrow raised incredulously.

"I've just had a lot of things on my mind lately."

"Well, hopefully the x-ray will come out fine…" Sebastian teased, tracing his fingers down Cooper's chest until they were hooked around his belt. "So maybe I'll finally be able to give you something else to think about."

"God… I hope so." Cooper sighed and Sebastian just winked playfully before getting into his car. Cooper laughed knowingly, because he and Sebastian had been talking about that the past couple of days. Sebastian had been feeling pretty good lately, but Cooper still wanted to wait until that last doctor's appointment before they risked having sex again.

When Cooper returned to his apartment, he realized Sebastian left his blazer on the couch. He walked over and picked it up, bringing it up to his face so he could smell the scent of Sebastian's cologne. Cooper just sighed and smiled, realizing he was head over heels for this guy.

...

On Friday afternoon, Blaine arrived at Dalton feeling happy and excited. Today was their last rehearsal before the big party on Saturday and Jeff's brother had promised to stop by and watch them perform. Originally, the idea was for it to be a surprise but Jeff said his brother and his fiancée were just too excited and wanted to see them perform before the party. Needless to say, Blaine was feeling very excited about it all.

As he walked towards the main gate, he ran into Sebastian, who almost tripped over him cause he was staring at his phone as he walked.

"Blaine, hey… Sorry I didn't see you."

"It's okay… How have you been?" Blaine asked, surprised to see Sebastian when every other time he'd been to Dalton Sebastian had never been there.

"Good… All good, just you know, studying and keeping myself busy." Sebastian replied, shrugging. "Are you here for the rehearsal? The guys told me today was their last, right?"

"Yeah… It is, Jeff's brother is coming over to watch so, it's really exciting." Blaine said enthusiastically, and felt a little bad when he saw Sebastian smile awkwardly.

"It really sucks that you couldn't sing with us…" Blaine said apologetically, "It would have been nice to perform together, you know, one last time. How are you feeling?"

"Oh… Don't even worry about it. I'm fine, actually… I had my last check up with the doctor yesterday and he gave me the green light, finally."

"Really? That's great."

"Yeah, having a broken rib is a real pain in the ass." Sebastian admitted and they both laughed.

Blaine's phone started buzzing and he realized he got a text from Jeff, asking where he was.

"Um… I should probably go inside, the guys are waiting for me."

"Of course, don't let me keep you. It was nice seeing you Blaine, take care."

"Thanks, you too."

Blaine couldn't help but stare at Sebastian as he walked towards his car. Whatever Sebastian was reading on his phone was making him smile really wide and Blaine wondered if maybe Sebastian was texting his boyfriend. It was nice to see Sebastian so happy, so Blaine didn't think much of it.

Blaine walked into the building and headed straight of the Senior Commons, where he could already hear the voices and laughter of the Warblers. Once he got there he was greeted by Jeff, who was quick to introduce Blaine to his brother.

"Blaine! So glad you're here!" Jeff said excitedly, bringing Blaine up to where the lovely couple was standing in the middle of the group. "This is my brother Rick, and his fiancée, Melanie."

"Oh you're the infamous Blaine!" Rick said, shaking Blaine's hand and giving him a friendly pat on the back, "Jeff has told us so much about you!"

"It's really nice to meet you Blaine." The woman said with a bright smile, but Blaine was having a really hard time trying to smile back when he felt like the ground had completely sunk under his feet.

Standing in front of him, holding hands with Jeff's brother and acting like everything was fine, was Melanie Smith. Years had passed since the last time Blaine had seen her, but he was certain that it was her. Melanie Smith, the red-haired girl who had briefly dated Cooper in his high school years. The same Melanie Blaine knew had been going out with Cooper ever since he came back from LA.

Blaine felt like he was going to be sick. Jeff's brother looked so happy with her, and they looked so in love as they talked to the group excitedly about the upcoming engagement party. But Blaine knew for a fact that she was cheating on him. This couldn't be happening. It just seemed like a horrible and tasteless joke. Blaine wanted to scream, but he knew he couldn't say a word.

Blaine put up his best pokerface to be able to sing and dance with the group for Rick and Melanie to see. They loved the performance, and even offered to take them all out for a celebratory dinner as a way to thank them for doing this for them, but Blaine didn't want to go. He excused himself with a vague explanation and left as fast as he could. He needed to talk to Cooper immediately.

…

Cooper had been feeling excited and felt giddy all day long. Today was a special day for him and Sebastian, they had plans for the night and Cooper was really looking forward to it. It had been so long since they'd done anything physical that his body was already buzzing with anticipation. Just thinking about how he was finally going to be able to touch and kiss and fuck Sebastian like he loved to had Cooper struggling to concentrate throughout the day.

The doctor had finally given Sebastian the green light. He hadn't had any pain in days so they had made plans to get together and have a fun night. Sebastian wanted to go dancing, so they were going to go to a new bar in Columbus. Quite frankly, Cooper didn't care about clubbing at all. Cooper was way more interested in what he was finally going to get to do to Sebastian once the evening was over and they would go back to his apartment.

Yeah, this was going to be the best day ever. Knowing he would see Sebastian after work was a great incentive for Cooper to work really hard and be done with everthing right on time to leave at 5pm sharp. When it was finally time to leave, Cooper rushed to the door and went straight to his car.

It was liberating to finally leave work. Cooper was glad to finally be out. Sebastian had been texting him all day long, with teasing and dirty text messages that had made Cooper swear to him he was going to make him pay. Cooper really couldn't wait to see Sebastian and get him naked.

As Cooper was on his way to his apartment, he felt his phone buzzing inside his pocket. He thought it might be another flirty text from Sebastian but was surprised to see it was actually a call from Blaine.

 _"Cooper, where are you?"_ Came Blaine's stern voice over the phone.  _"We need to talk."_

"Sure squirt, tell me what's up?" Cooper tried, noticing Blaine's nervous tone.

 _"No… We need to talk, but in person… Where are you?"_  Blaine sounded weird; his tone was obviously tense and demanding. Cooper had no idea what was bothering him, but his timing was awful. Tonight was his and Sebastian's day, Cooper couldn't just meet with Blaine on a whim.

"Look... now is really not a good time, I just got out of the office and have some-"

_"Plans? Oh I'm sure you have some plans… don't you? Well, guess what? You're gonna have to cancel them!"_

Cooper was startled, not quite understanding why Blaine sounded so hostile. He sighed, running a hand through his face as he drove. "Blaine, what's going on? Why are you so upset?"

Cooper just heard Blaine huff and his next words made a cold chill run through him.

_"I know about Melanie, Coop… Okay? I know about Melanie."_

Cooper felt his stomach doing backflips as he tried his best to remain calm. "W-what about Melanie… What are you talking about?"

 _"Don't play dumb with me!"_  Blaine yelled on the other side of the line, which startled Cooper.  _"You can't brush me off… We need to talk about this!"_

Cooper had no idea what Blaine thought he knew about Melanie, but something was for certain, his brother was extremely upset and Cooper knew Blaine well enough to be able to tell just by the tone of his voice that he was on the verge of tears. This was bad, really bad. Cooper looked at his watch and realized he was in trouble. He needed to go to his apartment and get ready for his special night with Sebastian. But how was he going to manage that with a very angry Blaine demanding to see him?

"Blaine, listen… I just left the office, let me just go down to my place to get changed and I'll meet you at home, okay?"

 _"No."_  Blaine deadpanned.

"Look… I'll be there soon, I promise."

_"No… Coop, I'm already here."_

"Here? Where?"

 _"I'm outside your building… So hurry up."_  Blaine said bluntly before hanging up, and Cooper just slammed his fists against the steering wheel in frustration. What the hell was Blaine doing outside his apartment building? What the hell was going on? Cooper didn't know what was going to happen, but he knew whatever it was couldn't be good. He should have known better than to lie to Blaine about Melanie… His cover was blown now, wasn't it? Blaine must have found out somehow that Cooper was lying about dating her, but how? Cooper felt dread pooling up inside him to the point that his hands started slightly shaking. What did Blaine know? Did he know about Sebastian? No, he couldn't… Otherwise he would have mentioned him, but Blaine only seemed to be upset about Melanie.

Cooper knew this day would come… And he knew that he had been an idiot for dragging that lie out for so long. Maybe Blaine had run into Melanie somewhere and recognized her. Maybe they'd talked and Blaine mentioned Cooper to her. They hadn't seen each other in years. Oh god, Cooper felt like such a fucking idiot. Now things were bound to be a goddamn mess and he was going to have to clean it up and fast.

This wasn't how his day was supposed to go. He was looking forward to spending some quality time with Sebastian; Cooper was supposed to pick him up later. But now he had a big mess to take care of. Cooper parked in front of his building and spotted Blaine's car immediately. Cooper braced himself before getting out of the car and walked up to his apartment, trying to remain as calm as possible.

When he finally was standing in front of his younger brother, Cooper didn't find anger or hatred like he thought he would… Blaine just looked sad and confused. Before Cooper could even say hello, or anything to Blaine, he got straight to the point.

"Did you know?" Blaine asked, voice small and eyes searching Cooper's for an honest answer. "Did you know, Coop? Please tell me you didn't know."

Cooper was completely puzzled, "I… I don't… A-about what, squirt?"

"About the engagement!" Blaine yelled, and Cooper completely froze.

"E-engagement?"

"Yes, Cooper… The engagement! Melanie is engaged… She is going to marry Jeff's brother!"

Cooper felt a horrible wave of dread wash over him. This is why Blaine was upset, he didn't know about Sebastian… but this was bad too.

"Did you know? Be honest, Cooper!"

"I… Blaine-" Cooper tried, but was at a complete loss of what to say when he knew admitting to the truth would not make things any better. Blaine saw Cooper struggling for words and that made him snap.

"Oh my god… You knew, didn't you? That's why you barely talked about her… That's why you never took her home no matter how many times mom asked you to. You've been seeing her for months now… months, Cooper!" Blaine was raising his voice now.

"Blaine… I can explain, let's just please go inside." Cooper pleaded, reaching out to put his hand on Blaine's shoulder, but he just flinched away.

"You knew she had a boyfriend, and you didn't care? You've been seeing each other behind Rick's back! Do you have any idea how awful that is? God, Cooper… They're engaged! What are you doing?"

"This… it's just not what you think it is." Cooper said, reaching to open his apartment door and holding it open for Blaine to come inside. Blaine was livid, and furiously strode past Cooper into the living room.

"Do you have any idea how awful it was to have to see her today? Rick and her stopped by to see our rehearsal today... He proudly introduced her to the guys and she didn't even bat an eye when she saw me… She didn't even flinch. She was just smiling like everything was fine while I was wishing the earth would just swallow me alive because I knew she was cheating on her fiancé with my own brother and-"

"Blaine stop, okay? Stop!" Cooper cut him off, raising his voice now. "I'm not seeing Melanie! Okay? I never was… I swear to god I'm not seeing her! I just… I lied. Okay, I lied!"

Blaine was completely thrown off by Cooper's sudden confession. "You lied?"

"Yes… I lied, and I'm sorry." Cooper admitted defeatedly.

"But… Why would you lie about that? That doesn't make any sense."

The look of utter confusion and disappointment in Blaine's eyes was killing Cooper, and the worse part was that Blaine didn't even know half of the lies Cooper had been telling him. Cooper knew once he told Blaine everything it would be a million times worse, but he had to do it. Cooper had to be honest with his brother, it was long overdue.

"I lied because I was…" Cooper hesitated, "Because I  _am_  seeing someone else."

"You're seeing someone else? But who? And why would you need to lie about-" Blaine suddenly stopped talking as his eyes landed on the couch right behind Cooper. Blaine visibly paled, eyes wide and horrified. When Cooper turned around he realized what Blaine was looking at… It was Sebastian's Dalton blazer.

Cooper could do nothing but stare at Blaine, and he could tell Blaine was connecting the dots inside his head, because he didn't say anything for a long time. Blaine just stared at the blazer and then at Cooper with his mouth hanging open.

"Oh my god… Please tell me that is not what I think it is."

Cooper said nothing, just pressed his lips in a tight line, and that was enough admission for Blaine to realize who that Blazer belonged to.

"It's Sebastian… Isn't it? You've been seeing Sebastian!" Blaine accused, putting his hands over his face and pacing back and forth. "Of course it's Sebastian… You're the guy he's been seeing! That's the reason he won't tell anyone your name… Cause then people would know you're my brother!"

Cooper didn't know what Blaine was talking about, but he knew Sebastian wasn't hiding things, it was only him.

"No, Blaine… That's not how things are… I can explain, please."

"Explain? What is there to explain?" Blaine yelled at him, "It all makes sense now! You've been using Melanie as cover up for the fact that you've been seeing Sebastian, haven't you? Answer me!"

"Blaine…" Cooper tried getting closer to him but Blaine just stepped back and started yelling louder.

"You lied… You lied to me all this time! God, it's been  _months!_  You've been sleeping with Sebastian all this time? Cooper, what the hell is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how wrong this is? Jesus christ Cooper, are you even gay? How could you-"

"It was a mistake! Okay?" Cooper yelled, but that only made Blaine even angrier.

"A mistake? A mistake happens once, Cooper! You've been seeing Sebastian for how long now? Don't think I'm stupid, stop lying to me! Just stop lying for a second! Can you do that… Huh? Just tell me the truth for once in your life!"

 _"The truth is that I did it for you!"_  Cooper cried, his voice cracking as he desperately tried to explain himself to his brother.

"W-what?" Blaine was dumbfounded, and Cooper collapsed in the couch, realizing he couldn't do anything but confess to the truth right then and there.

"Remember when I first came back from LA? That night we talked and you told me all those things about Sebastian, about how you used to trust him and about how bad he hurt you?" Blaine just nodded warily and Cooper took a deep breath, trying to ignore the painful lump forming in his throat before continuing.

"I saw how bad Sebastian had hurt you, Blaine. He hurt you physically with that slushy. He landed you in the hospital, but he also betrayed you… Blaine, you looked so broken and lost that I… I just wanted to do something…  _Anything!_  I just couldn't stand to see you like that. I was angry and frustrated and I wanted to  _hurt_ Sebastian somehow. I just wanted him to pay for what he did to you."

Cooper felt like he was going to be sick with every word that came out of his mouth, but he knew he had to do it. He had to tell the whole truth. Blaine was silent, mouth open and brows furrowed as Cooper kept talking.

"I saw him on your Facebook, and tracked him down at a club… That's how we met. I went after him with this whole plan inside my head. I just wanted to get Sebastian to think I was interested in him… I started flirting with him, just because I wanted him to fall for me, just so I could…"  _Humiliate him_ , Cooper's mind supplied, but he couldn't dare to say it out loud. "I had planned it all out in my head just like any other acting job, you know? It was just a game to me. I know it sounds stupid and vile but that is the truth."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and shook his head in complete disbelief, and Cooper felt his heart twisting inside him. "An acting job? Cooper you can't do something like that just because you're an actor… That is not how the real world works! You can't just play with people like that... What were you thinking?"

"I know… It was just a game, Blaine. I started it all as a stupid game. So don't ask me what I was thinking because the truth is that I don't even know. I wasn't thinking straight. I was stupid and selfish… And I know you probably think that I'm a horrible person, but things changed now… Things are different." Cooper breathed in, gathering the courage to tell Blaine everything. He needed to be honest about his feelings for Sebastian but before he could continue, Blaine interrupted him.

"Does he know?" Blaine asked in a small voice. "Does Sebastian know about this?"

_"I do now."_

Cooper's world shattered to pieces as he heard Sebastian's voice. He turned around and saw Sebastian standing by the door of the master bedroom.  _Sebastian was there, he had been there all along!_  Sebastian was standing there, lips pressed tightly and eyes glassy with unshed tears. For a moment, neither Blaine, Cooper or Sebastian said anything, they just stared at each other in silence. Sebastian must have been in the apartment before Cooper and Blaine got there, and Cooper started to panic as he realized that meant Sebastian had heard absolutely everything.

Cooper couldn't talk, couldn't think, and he felt like he couldn't breathe. Cooper felt like the room was spinning around him, the silence was overwhelming and suffocating, but he was unable to speak as he just took in the look of complete betrayal that Sebastian had as he looked straight into his eyes from where he was standing.

"S-sebastian… I can explain." Cooper managed to say, with pleading eyes, but at the sound of Cooper's voice Sebastian's expression hardened.

"Don't bother." Sebastian replied, giving Cooper a dismissive look from head to toe before turning to look at Blaine instead.

"I'm sorry, Blaine. I just… I'll just go now."

Blaine looked horrified, his eyes wide and panicked as he stared at Cooper and then at Sebastian. Both brothers were completely unable to even move as Sebastian walked past them, reaching to grab his blazer on his way out. Cooper reached out to grab Sebastian's arm to try to stop him, but Sebastian flinched away as if Cooper's touch had burned him.

"Don't touch me!" Sebastian hissed before storming out of the apartment.

Cooper just stood there, frozen for a few seconds; his mind was reeling but he knew he couldn't let Sebastian walk out without talking to him. "Stay here." He told Blaine before rushing out the door, going after Sebastian. He glanced down the hallway and saw the elevator doors closing up, so he knew had to hurry if he wanted to catch him. Cooper ran as fast as he could, almost tripping down the stairs but he didn't care. He had to reach Sebastian before he exited the building.

"Sebastian… Wait!" Cooper yelled frantically but Sebastian only walked faster, pushing the doors open and practically sprinting towards the parking lot.

Cooper kept calling after Sebastian like a mad man, not caring what the neighbors or any bystanders would think of him, but Sebastian did not stop or turn around. Sebastian just kept walking straight up to his car and started fumbling with his keys, trying desperately to open the door.

"Sebastian... Please don't leave! I can explain… Please just listen to me!" Cooper begged, but Sebastian just shook his head with his back still turned to him. Sebastian didn't even want to look at him, he just opened the door to his car to get in, and in that moment Cooper desperately grabbed him by the arm to try to stop him.

"Let go of me!" Sebastian yelled, pushing Cooper away from him. Sebastian pushed him so hard that Cooper almost lost his balance, and when Cooper looked into his eyes it was like a stab to the heart, because he realized that Sebastian was crying. His eyes were rimmed red and there were tears staining his face, but he didn't only look sad, Sebastian looked  _angry_  as well.

This was his fault, Sebastian was crying and Cooper realized he was to blame… and it killed him. "Sebastian, please… I am so sorry, just please let me explain." Cooper pleaded, trying to get close to Sebastian again.

"No! Don't you ever fucking touch me again!" Sebastian yelled, pushing Cooper one more time. The quick motion must have hurt his ribs because Sebastian winced in pain and grabbed his side with one arm as he wiped the tears off his face with his other hand.

Sebastian kneeled down on the floor, trying to catch his breath. Cooper wanted nothing more than to hold him and help him, but he knew if he tried to touch him again Sebastian would push him again and risk hurting himself even more.

"Are you okay?" Cooper asked, but Sebastian just huffed.

"I'm fine… I don't need your help!" Sebastian hissed, slowly getting up on his feet. "You've done enough."

Sebastian stared intently at Cooper. His gaze was full of sadness and betrayal, and Cooper searched desperately for what to say to make things right, but he knew there weren't enough words in the world to express how much he regretted what he'd done.

"I'm so sorry."

"Are you? Cause for what I heard, I think your plan worked just the way you wanted it to!" Sebastian replied bitterly. "You wanted to hurt me? To humiliate me? Well congrats, you did a great job!"

Cooper knew what he had been doing to Sebastian was wrong, but hearing him saying it out loud made Cooper feel even worse.

"You tricked me into believing you actually cared about me, and screwed me over… Literally. Did you enjoy yourself?" Sebastian asked bitterly, "God, I'm such an idiot. I should have seen it right from the start. That night at the club when we first met... I bet you paid that guy to jump me in the restroom just so you could barge in and be a hero, didn't you?"

"No! I would never do that! Sebastian..." Cooper tried but Sebastian didn't let him speak.

"Oh really… Why? Is that too far below your moral compass? Cause I thought you didn't have one!" Sebastian hissed, but his eyes were welling up with tears again. "It's funny, you know? How bad I felt for lying to you about my age, when all along you were lying about everything and you didn't even care!"

"I do care… Believe me, I do. Sebastian, all those things you heard me tell Blaine are true, but that was  _before_ … I have no excuse for what I did, I was an idiot and an asshole, but that was before I actually got to know you. You have to believe me, please… All that time we spent together, all the things we shared were special to me. The truth is that as I got to know you, I started to fall in love with you, and that love is real… It's real Sebastian!"

 _"Love_... Right." Sebastian said sarcastically, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I bet you love me as much as you love what I did to Blaine."

"I'm not lying... I love you, I really do!"

"Stop saying that! Just stop it…  _Please!_ " Sebastian begged. The tears were now fully streaming down his face, and he looked utterly broken. "You  _don't_  love me!  _You never did!_  So just stop... Just shut up!"

It was in that moment that Cooper realized the severity of what he had done. He'd broken Sebastian's heart, and no amount of apologizing would ever take it back. All the horrible lies Cooper had built their relationship upon had come crashing down in the worst possible way and there was nothing he could do to take it back.

"I wish that I could turn back time, and do things right. I never meant to hurt you. I love you... Please forgive me." Cooper pleaded, almost whispering. He meant every word, he did love Sebastian and he was truly sorry. Cooper was desperately hoping Sebastian would believe him, but in front of him Sebastian just shook his head slowly.

Sebastian stared at him for the longest time, his expression was broken and raw in a way Cooper was sure he would never forget. Sebastian wiped the tears away from his face one last time, taking a deep breath. Cooper could tell Sebastian was struggling inside as he looked down to the floor and then up at the sky, and he couldn't help the tiny glimpse of hope that fluttered inside him as he waited for Sebastian to say something… to say anything. Every silent second felt like torture to Cooper, but he knew he'd had his chance to speak and now the ball was in Sebastian's court. Cooper didn't want to say anything, hoping Sebastian would accept his apology and give him a chance to make things right, but when Sebastian finally looked at Cooper again he just sighed and said: "Every word you say sounds like bullshit to me."

Sebastian's words felt like ice water dropping over Cooper's head. Sebastian wanted nothing to do with Cooper anymore, and he deserved it. Cooper knew he deserved this, but that didn't make it any easier to watch Sebastian turn around and walk away from him.

"I'm sorry." Was all Cooper could gasp out, swallowing against the lump in his throat… It felt like he'd already said it a million times, but it didn't matter. No amount of apologies would ever be enough to fix this.

Sebastian didn't even spare another glance towards Cooper as he got into his car and drove away. They were done, it was over. Sebastian was gone and Cooper had never felt his heart ache so bad before. It was a painful and suffocating feeling of helplessness and regret that overwhelmed him to the point where he couldn't even stand on his feet anymore. Cooper could do nothing but fall to his knees as the tears he'd been fighting all along finally streamed down his face.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." He kept repeating, even though Sebastian wasn't there to hear him anymore.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… it finally happened! The truth came out! I know you were all expecting and dreading this moment! Aaah it was so awful, wasn't it? :( 
> 
> The truth is, I had planned this scene ever since I first started writing this story, so it was bittersweet to finally be able to post it… I hope you guys can tell me what you thought of it all. And also, fear not because this story still has at least 5 more chapters, give or take. So it's far from over yet! :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm back from the dead! Aahh, sorry it has taken so long for this update to come, but real life has been kicking my butt quite literally! Anyway, thanks so much to all of you who messaged me and left comments on last chapter. This story is still not over so I hope you enjoy this update! Let me know! :)
> 
> Warning for this chapter: Dub-con

It felt like drowning.

Sebastian felt like no matter how hard he tried, he was never going to be able to breathe again. He'd gone from fuming and cursing, to crying and feeling like he would never be able to stop. He couldn't breathe or think properly. He only managed to drive a couple of miles away from Cooper's apartment before he had to stop and park the car so he could try to get a hold of himself.

It was a lie, everything between him and Cooper had been a lie; and Sebastian had just been too stupid to realize it. He'd been such a fool to think things with Cooper were real. He had never felt like more of an idiot in his life. He'd been played in the worst way possible…  _and it hurt._

Sebastian's chest felt impossibly tight, but he was certain this pain was worse than any other he'd felt before. Not even his broken ribs had hurt this much. This pain was unbearable, reducing him to a shaking, desperate mess. He was feeling a mixture of emotions that ranged from shattering disappointment to raging anger. Barely an hour ago he had been happy and giddy just thinking about the wonderful evening he and Cooper were about to share together. Sebastian had been pretty much walking on the clouds all day long, and he never imagined he would come crashing back down so hard, so fast.

After what felt like hours of crying, Sebastian was left feeling strangely numb... But deep down he also felt angry, _incredibly angry._

Sebastian was able to calm down, but he was left feeling exhausted. It was early, barely 7pm now and Sebastian was stuck in his car. He took a look in the rear view mirror and realized how awful his face looked. His eyes were rimmed red and swollen, his face was tear stricken and he looked like a mess. The worse part was that he had nowhere to go.

Cooper and him were supposed to go to a new club in Columbus, and Sebastian had packed an overnight bag, but had left it at Cooper's apartment in his rush to get out of there. He palmed his jeans and realized he'd also left his wallet at Cooper's place.  _Fuck._

Sebastian knew that his parents would not be home because they had some fancy dinner to attend. But he didn't want to go there, especially cause he'd told his mom he would be spending the night at Trent's house. But with no fake ID and no money, there was nothing he could do.

Just as Sebastian started the engine of his car again his phone started buzzing, making him almost jump out of his seat. Luckily it wasn't Cooper but Jason, one of the guys from the lacrosse team.

Sebastian just frowned and dismissed the call, but a couple of seconds later he got a text message.

 _**From Jason Lancaster:**_ _Yo Smythe! We won the game! Party at Michael's house. Be there._

Sebastian stared at the message for a while and weighed his options. He wasn't really in the mood for a party, but he was in desperate need of alcohol, so it seemed like going to the party at Michael's house was his best choice.

...

Cooper stayed outside for a little while after Sebastian left. Things still didn't seem real, it just felt like he was trapped in a horrible, horrible nightmare.

He couldn't even cry properly, it was like his whole body went into shock. He felt so overwhelmed by guilt and shame. He couldn't even think of what to do next. He just stayed there in the middle of yard, staring at the empty street where Sebastian's car drove away. Cooper sat on the floor, staring at his hands, he couldn't feel his legs. Well, he could feel them slightly shaking, but he wasn't sure if it was from the position he was sitting in or just the stress of the situation crashing down on him. Sebastian was gone. What was Cooper going to do to fix this now?

"Cooper?"

Blaine's voice startled Cooper. In the midst of everything that had happened with Sebastian Cooper had completely forgotten that his brother was upstairs in his apartment. Cooper wished Blaine could just vanish, he didn't want to look at him. He couldn't stand to look at his brother and face the judgment that was surely to come.

For a while, Cooper just stayed there, sitting on the floor silently. Maybe if he waited long enough, Blaine would just walk away. He wasn't talking anymore, but Cooper could make up Blaine's shadow from where the sun hit behind him. Apparently Blaine wasn't going anywhere.

"Cooper, come on… You can't stay here. It's getting dark."

Blaine made no attempts to hide the irritation in his voice, and even though Cooper knew he deserved it, it still got to him like a stab in the chest. The shame came flooding so hard over Cooper that for a moment he felt like he wouldn't even be able to get up from the floor. But he had to. He had no choice but to face Blaine and the consequences of everything that happened.

He got up and faced his younger brother, and was surprised when he realized Blaine had a sympathetic look on his face. There was no judgment there, just sadness… No, it was probably just disappointment.

"Let's go back inside." Blaine said, and Cooper just nodded and followed him back to his apartment.

...

Sebastian felt slightly detached from reality as he parked in front of his house. He still couldn't believe everything that had happened. He'd managed to avoid crying on his way home, but it still took him a while to get the energy to actually dare to get out of his car. He wanted to go to the party at Michael's house, but he needed to change and shower first.

Sebastian was glad that his parents weren't home, because the only thing worse than what had happened with Cooper would be to have his parents notice he'd been crying and question him about it. He didn't want anyone to know what had happened, he didn't want anyone to know that Cooper had played him the way he had. It was completely humiliating.

Sebastian wanted nothing more than to forget all about it. To forget Cooper completely.

So he took a shower and got dressed, hoping that it would be enough to conceal the fact that the was feeling like absolute shit. He didn't feel any better after the shower, but at least he looked half-decent now. His face was no longer tear stricken and his hair wasn't covering his eyes anymore. So he got dressed and then drove straight to Michael's house, hoping that the distraction of the party would help him take his mind of the mess that his life had become.

The good thing about Michael was that his parents were never home, and he had a very permissive older sister. She didn't care about her younger brother throwing parties, especially if they were full of hot lacrosse players.

The music was loud and everyone seemed happy to see Sebastian as he walked in. They were euphoric over their victory at their latest game and were committed to getting wasted. Sebastian loved the sound of that plan. He was handed a glass full of vodka and orange juice, which wasn't his usual drink of choice, but tonight Sebastian wasn't picky. Any alcohol would do the trick as long as it helped him take his mind off of thoughts of Cooper.

Between stupid party games, copious amounts of alcohol and extremely loud music, it didn't take long for Sebastian to get drunk. He was drunk like he hadn't been in a long, long time. Sebastian felt like he was alright as long as he kept talking to the guys or laughing at their stupid jokes, but the second Sebastian got quiet, his mind was immediately flooded with thoughts of Cooper.

As cool as his lacrosse friends were, they could only entertain him for so long. They were all drunk now, and some of them seemed more interested on making out with the girls at the party than actually holding any sort of significant human interaction.

Soon, Sebastian found himself at the edge of the pool, all by himself. He took out his phone and realized he didn't even have any missed calls from Cooper. Sebastian didn't want to talk to him, but somehow the fact that Cooper didn't even try to contact him only made him feel worse. Sebastian turned off his phone and started to contemplate whether jumping fully clothed into the cold water would help him feel better at this point.

"Thinking about going in for a swim?" Came a voice from behind him.

"James… Didn't know you were here." Sebastian said, surprised to see the guy. He was Jason's older brother, they'd met a couple of times before.

"I never miss on a good party."

"Really? You call this a good party?" Sebastian snorted, taking another sip of his drink and regretting it immediately. Maybe he finally had enough alcohol.

"What? Is it not living up to your standards?" James asked, getting closer to Sebastian.

"It's alright." Replied Sebastian, "I just always figured parties at college would be better. What are you doing here?"

"I just stopped by to join in on the celebration. I heard you guys won."

"Yeah…" Sebastian replied vaguely, he didn't really want to have to explain that he actually hadn't been part of the victory cause he had been busy recovering from the wounds inflicted by his abusive father. Why were they even talking right now? Sebastian would rather be doing something else.

Sebastian knew James enough to realize this pathetic attempt at small talk was only a way to eventually suggest they go to another place so they could make out. They'd done it a couple of times before, and it was fine, but what always pissed Sebastian off about James was how ridiculously in denial he was. James would have no problem making out with Sebastian, but the minute they were out in public he'd act like it never happened. The guy was a closet case of the worst kind and Sebastian was not in the mood to deal with his bullshit at the moment.

"So… what have you been up to?" James asked, obviously pursuing his idea of small talk, but Sebastian decided he'd rather just get another drink.

"Nothing. I need another drink."

"Then let's go get it."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and walked back inside the house with James tagging along after him. They sat at the bar and made themselves another drink. Sebastian wasn't even really talking to James, who kept trying to engage him in conversation, but since he kept drinking, the buzz of alcohol running though him soon made everything James was saying sound like great ideas.

Needless to say, it didn't take long for Sebastian's resolve of telling James to get lost to be gone. Sebastian wasn't really sure how but they ended up in the laundry room making out. In the back of his mind, Sebastian knew the guy was a douchebag, but it didn't matter to him now, not really. Sebastian just wanted to feel good, and so far James was doing a good job at that. Sebastian found himself pushed against the wall, with James mouth sucking on his neck and his hands going down his pants.

Every other time they'd made out the same thing always happened. James would stop things when they got too heated and then backpedal, playing it cool like everything was just for good old fun. But this time it was different. James seemed to want to take things further, and Sebastian just couldn't find it in himself to say no.

…

Cooper sat in his living room with the lights turned off. The room was dark and he was deep in thought. Blaine had left several hours ago after Cooper begged him to. He just needed to be alone. Blaine left with the promise, which was more of a threat, of coming back the next day so they could talk. Cooper figured the only reason Blaine even agreed to that was because he realized trying to talk today would be useless. He was too angry and Cooper was too much of a mess.

Anxiety didn't even begin to describe the way Cooper was feeling. He stared at his phone and his fingers hovered over Sebastian's name over and over, but he didn't dare to call. Cooper wanted desperately to talk to Sebastian, but he had no idea what he could possibly say to make things right. He was at a loss of what to do. He needed to just take some time and think, he also needed to give Sebastian some time to cool down, but every minute that passed only made Cooper feel worse.

It was almost 10pm when Cooper finally gathered the courage to dial Sebastian's number. Unfortunately, his call went straight to voicemail. Sebastian had turned off his phone. Cooper didn't expect it to be any different, but somehow not being able to talk to Sebastian just made his anxiety worse. Where was he? What had he done after he left Cooper's apartment? What was he doing right now? There were so many different possibilities that Cooper's head was spinning just thinking about them. What if he had gone out to some bar to drink? What if he was out there, somewhere all alone, drunk and vulnerable? Cooper wished he could know, so he could go and find him, but after dialing a second time, he realized he just couldn't. Going out looking aimlessly for Sebastian would be a waste of time. He just had to wait until he could talk to him again, even if the waiting killed him inside with every second that passed.

Cooper walked into his room to change into more comfortable clothes, since he was still wearing his business suit, which was probably ruined now anyway. His trousers were stained from where his knees had been rubbing against the grass earlier, but Cooper couldn't find it in himself to care.

When he walked into the bedroom he realized Sebastian had left his duffel bag there. Cooper felt a pang of melancholy at the sight, but when his eyes landed on his bedside table he realized that Sebastian had also left his wallet behind.

Suddenly Cooper realized something that gave him some hope. If Sebastian left his wallet there, it meant he had no money and no ID, which meant that Sebastian couldn't have gone out. With no money to spend and no fake ID to get into any bar or club, Sebastian must have had no choice than to go back to his parents' house.

Cooper realized Sebastian must be livid to have left his wallet and stuff behind, and so he could probably go to his house with the pretense of giving it back, and get a chance to talk to him. The question was when? Should he go now, or wait until morning? Cooper was desperate, and almost 5 hours had passed since their awful argument. Cooper didn't want to wait until the morning, he needed to see Sebastian now. So after changing into other clothes, Cooper grabbed Sebastian's bag and wallet and headed for the door.

He drove to Sebastian's house and parked outside the big concrete fence. He tried dialing Sebastian's number again, but it was still turned off. Cooper got out of his car and walked over to the main gate. The Smythe estate was big and the garden was massive, but even from the gate Cooper could see the driveway and garage, and Sebastian's car wasn't there. Most of the windows in the second story were dark, there were only a few lights on from where Cooper was standing.

Cooper frowned, wondering if Sebastian was home or not. He was desperate, but not desperate enough to ring the bell and ask for Sebastian. He knew that wouldn't be a wise move, since Sebastian's parents didn't know about him and he knew Sebastian would get in trouble if they ever found out.

So, feeling conflicted and slightly defeated, Cooper returned to his car and decided to wait. He had no idea where Sebastian could possibly be, but he decided he would wait for him to get back if that is what it took to be able to talk to him again. What Cooper didn't know is that he would be waiting for Sebastian to get there all night long.

…

When Sebastian opened his eyes he felt disoriented and sick. The room was dark and cold, and he could feel he had some sort of blanket tangled in the lower part of his body. He still had his shirt on, but he was naked from the waist down. He rolled over and tried to sit up, which proved to be bad idea, since there was someone laying beside him. Sebastian could feel his mouth and throat dry as sandpaper, his head was pounding and as he sat up he felt a little sore. It didn't take long for Sebastian to realize what had happened. He had sex with James, and he had completely passed out afterwards.

Sebastian was a little sore but that was not the worst of all. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness he could make up other details of the room they were in, and he realized they were not alone. There was a guy and a girl curled up in a couch in the corner of the room.  _What the fuck had happened? Was he even still in Michael's house?_  Sebastian felt worry and shame start flooding him as he realized he had no recollection of what happened whatsoever. Had he had sex in front of these people? In front of other people? Had they used protection or not? And why was he naked in a bed with James with two other strangers in the same room?

Sebastian laid back down and sighed. This was not what he wanted his night to be like. He just wanted to forget about Cooper but somehow it was the only thing he could think about now. He wondered where Cooper was, what he was doing, and what would he think if he saw him like this? Cooper would probably just figure he was right, and that Sebastian was actually worthless.

That realization alone had Sebastian fighting back tears and feeling like he was going to throw up. He stood up slowly and searched for his clothes in the darkness of the room. He found his underwear tangled along with his jeans in the foot of the bed and hastily put them on. In the bed, James appeared to be completely passed out. Sebastian wasn't sure what he had done with James, but he was sure that he didn't want to be here when the guy woke up. He just wanted to forget about everything, so he took his shoes and walked out of the room, rushing out of the house as fast as he could.

When Sebastian got to his car he turned on his phone and realized it was 5:30am. He wanted nothing more than to go home, so he started his car and drove away from Michael's house wishing he had never gone there in the first place. The streets were empty at that early hour of the morning, so he knew it wouldn't take him long to get home. The down part to the silence of the streets was that Sebastian had nothing to distract him from the loud thoughts inside his head. He should have stayed home last night, cause his attempt at taking his mind off of Cooper and everything that happened had only backfired, leaving him feeling worse about himself than he already was.

…

Cooper didn't realize he had fallen asleep inside his car, but the bright lights of an approaching car woke him up and when he opened his eyes he realized he was still parked outside Sebastian's house. It was 6am now, and even though the sun still hadn't come out, the sky was turning a lighter shade of grayish blue. After his eyes adjusted to the initial shock of the lights, Cooper was able to make out the car in front of him, and his heart almost jumped out from his chest when he saw it was Sebastian.

Sebastian was just arriving home now, and by the looks of it he hadn't even noticed Cooper's car parked a few feet away from his own. The big metal gate started opening and Cooper knew if he didn't do something now, Sebastian would just disappear inside his house. Cooper got out of his car and rushed over to Sebastian's car. Cooper didn't mean to scare him, but he saw Sebastian jump inside his car as Cooper put his hands over the window and offered him his best apologetic smile.

"Sebastian… Hey." Was all Cooper could say. It wasn't until he had already said the words that Cooper realized how stupid he sounded. Sebastian had a look of complete disbelief as Cooper just stood there, outside his window. The gate was completely opened now, and Sebastian looked ahead and then at his hands, as if deciding whether to drive inside or actually talk to Cooper.

"Sebastian, please." Cooper begged, he already felt like a lunatic, waiting outside Sebastian's house at this hour of the morning, but he was desperate. It felt like hours passed by until Sebastian finally lowered the window.

"What are you doing here, Anderson?"

 _Anderson._  The way Sebastian's said that just burned Cooper, but he knew he deserved it. Sebastian wasn't even looking at him. His hands were tight on the steering wheel and his eyes were still fixed on them.

"I... I was just... waiting for you."

Sebastian heaved a sigh and shook his head, and Cooper could feel the tension oozing off from him. Sebastian put his fingers over the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, and Cooper didn't know what to say or do. His heart was beating fast against his chest as he waited for Sebastian to say or do anything, but he didn't. Sebastian wouldn't even look at him.

"C-can we talk?" Cooper asked tentatively as Sebastian kept ignoring him.

"What is there to talk about?" Sebastian finally said, his voice was so low it was almost a whisper, and when he looked up at Cooper he felt a pang of regret stab him in the chest. Sebastian didn't look angry, he had the same broken look on his face he had earlier when he walked away from Cooper.

Cooper didn't know what to say. It was like he was frozen there, staring at Sebastian with no way of undoing the hurt he'd caused him. Sebastian just shook his head and looked down at his hands, which were still holding the steering wheel.

As dawn started to come along, Cooper realized Sebastian had a bruise of some sort on his neck. It only took him a couple of seconds to realize what that bruise actually was, and since he didn't remember being the one responsible for it, Cooper immediately felt a wave of irrational jealousy take over him.

"What happened to your neck?" Cooper asked before he could stop himself. The look Sebastian gave him when he turned to look at him had Cooper wishing he had never asked.

"That's actually none of your fucking business!" Sebastian spat back, he then opened the door of his car and got out, standing in front of Cooper defiantly. Cooper was taken aback by Sebastian's sudden burst of anger, and even though he knew in the back of his mind that he deserved it, he still couldn't quite get a hold on his emotions.

"It is my business cause I care about you, Sebastian!" Cooper said, voice full of emotion and frustration and everything at once. "Where the hell did you go?"

"Are you serious right now?" Sebastian hissed, stepping into Cooper's personal space. "I don't have to tell you shit! What the hell is your problem, Cooper? What are you even doing here?"

Sebastian's breath reeked of alcohol, and Cooper's blood was boiling with the uncertainty of not knowing where Sebastian had been, and with whom. But he knew better now than to press that issue right now. Cooper took a deep breath, and he knew he had to choose his words wisely if he wanted to get Sebastian to listen to him, but it was so hard when his heart was beating so fast and so many emotions were running through him all at once.

"I'm here because I need… we need to talk-"

"About what?" Sebastian cut him off. "I don't see what we could possibly talk about."

"Look, I know you don't want to talk to me, but I just want to clear some things-"

"Oh I think things are crystal clear…" Sebastian said, cutting him off again. "Let's see. You lied to me about your name, who you were, and probably about everything else. You went out with me just to mess with me and teach me some kind of sick lesson for hurting your brother… Blaine, who is actually a good person and accepted my apology for the shit I did, unlike you who decided you wanted to take some sick vendetta on me."

"Sebastian, you have to believe me... I wanted to tell you the truth so many times but-"

"You know what? No, I don't. I don't believe you! I heard everything you said to Blaine, remember? About how much you hated me for what I did to him? About how you tracked me down like a fucking stalker after looking at my Facebook, and then lured me in with your charms just to fuck me and then treat me like trash!"

Sebastian was visibly livid now, the way his voice was trembling, and the way his eyes were welling up, Cooper knew he was about to break down. The worse thing was that all the things Sebastian was saying were true at some point, so Cooper didn't have a leg to stand on. Sebastian was hurt and it had been a mistake to come here and practically ambush him into talking when he was so upset and clearly under the influence of alcohol.

"I'm so-"

"No you're not! You're not sorry… so stop saying it! Stop it! We went out for months Cooper,  _months!_  You had plenty of opportunities of telling me the truth if you really wanted to… So don't come and tell me this bullshit now just because your brother found out about how sick you are!"

Cooper just gaped as Sebastian wiped a couple of tears that had escaped his eyes and trailed down his cheek. Before Cooper could even say anything, Sebastian's phone started ringing. Sebastian took a few steps back and grabbed his phone from his pocket, cursing out loud when he saw the caller ID.

"Fuck! There goes my plan of sneaking into the house unnoticed. Thanks for that." Sebastian hissed at Cooper before turning around and getting back into his car.

"Sebastian, wait." Cooper said, stepping forward and putting this hands on the door of Sebastian's car, but Sebastian closed the window, forcing Cooper to remove his hands and step away as he drove into his house.

"Just leave me alone." Cooper heard Sebastian say before he disappeared into his house, closing the automatic gate behind him and leaving Cooper standing outside, feeling more frustrated than ever as he realized that instead of fixing things, he'd somehow only managed to make them worse.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, happy belated new year! I am sorry I haven't been able to update until now... But hopefully this long chapter makes up for the wait. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and as always, all comments are greatly appreciated :)

Sebastian breathed in and braced himself before getting out of his car. His heart was beating fast and he was still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. The unexpected confrontation with Cooper had left him more than a little shaken.  _What the hell was Cooper doing outside his house at the freaking break of dawn?_

Sebastian's feelings were a complete mess, like a raging turmoil that made it impossible for him to get a hold on himself enough to think clearly. He'd spent the night trying to forget about Cooper but only managed to get himself in a situation which had left him feeling even worse. Cooper was the last person he wanted to see after this shitty night. Just thinking of him had unleashed a sequence of emotions Sebastian wanted to forget about ever having. Sebastian didn't understand how he could love someone and despise him so much at the same time.

Sebastian rubbed his hands over his face furiously, hoping to wipe away any remaining tears before getting out of his car. He tried as best as he could to calm down enough to face the scolding he was about to receive from his mom.

The house was dark and silent when he walked in, and his mother was there, waiting for him. Sebastian breathed in, expecting her to yell at him. After all, he'd been out all night and he knew he smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke from the party. But much to his surprise, she didn't. Sebastian's mother just walked up to him and grabbed him by the arm silently pulling him behind her until they were in the living room.

"I don't even want to know where you've been all night, Sebastian, but do me a favor... Go to your room, and  _stay_  there." She whispered, making no attempt to hide the irritation in her voice.

Sebastian frowned and nodded. He didn't need to ask anything. Just by the way his mother was looking at him -with her eyes tired and looking exhausted- he knew that his dad had been drinking. That  _"stay there"_  meant it would be best if Sebastian didn't come out of his room at all. Whenever his mom got like this, Sebastian would protest, and most of the times not even obey her, but not this time. Staying in his room all weekend sounded like a great plan when all Sebastian wanted to do was dig a hole and bury himself in it.

Sebastian's mom squinted her eyes at him before letting go of his arm. She gave him a quick once over and then just shook her head in disapproval. Sebastian didn't really care, he was only glad that the house was dark enough to help him conceal just how wrecked he actually looked after the awful night he had.

So without uttering a word, Sebastian just turned away from his mother, walked up the stairs and locked himself in his room. Once the door was closed, Sebastian breathed heavily and took off his shoes. He ran a hand though his hair frustratedly, feeling dirty and exhausted from the party. Everything that happened was still a blur in his mind, but he felt absolutely disgusted with himself. Sebastian knew he should take a shower before getting into bed but the shock from running into Cooper had left him drained of any and all energy. So he just dropped down on his bed and curled himself into a ball. Sebastian was in pain like he'd never been before... His chest felt tight and he couldn't breathe properly, but he knew there was nothing wrong with him... at least not physically. Sebastian sighed heavily; trying with all his might to avoid bursting into tears but failed after a few minutes and just gave in. There, in the darkness of his room, Sebastian decided to allow himself to cry... Promising himself that it would be the last time. No one was watching him, and no one would ever know, but this would be the last time Sebastian shed a tear over Cooper Anderson.

Sebastian cried himself to sleep, and didn't wake up until hours later, when he was startled by the sound of his father yelling and slamming things downstairs. Sebastian sat up and listened attentively, his head throbbing in pain from the hangover. He could hear his dad yelling and complaining, but the fact that his mother's voice couldn't be heard told Sebastian his dad was most likely yelling at the house staff.

"Fucking asshole." Sebastian whispered as he pulled the comforter over his head and buried himself under it, hoping to tune out the outside world for as long as he could.

…

When Cooper returned to his house, he felt like an idiot and a failure. He still had Sebastian's things with him, and he wondered what he was going to do about them. It was very clear that Sebastian wanted nothing to do with him right now. He was still angry, and quite understandably. Cooper didn't know what he was thinking when he decided that it was a good idea to wait for him outside his house. Lately it seemed that all Cooper was good at was making bad decisions.

Cooper walked over to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of wine. He needed something stronger than wine but he didn't have any other liquor in his cabinet and he was in desperate need of alcohol. He tried calling Sebastian a few times in the midst of his drunken stupor, but he never picked up. Cooper didn't expect Sebastian to take his calls, but the rejection still hurt. Cooper drank the whole bottle of wine before it was even 8am and passed out in his bed. It was utterly pathetic, he knew that, but he felt desperate and ashamed and wanted nothing more than to numb himself from the world and forget everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours.

Cooper was asleep for most of the day, he made no effort to leave his bed or do anything at all, and he would have probably stayed like that for the whole day if it weren't for the fact that his phone kept ringing. He had left it on the kitchen counter, and the constant ringing was driving him nuts. So Cooper finally got up, feeling dizzy and groggy. He grabbed his phone and checked his call log; only to realize he had 6 missed calls from Blaine. He wasn't in the mood to deal with his brother right now, so Cooper just turned off his phone and went back to bed.

The weekend passed by in a blur, Cooper didn't leave his apartment, shower or answer his phone at all. He had ended up turning it on later on Saturday night when he realized that if he kept it off he wouldn't know if Sebastian called him back, or answered to any of his texts. It was very unlikely to happen, but Cooper felt so desperate that he had kept it on only because of that small (almost non-existent) possibility. Blaine was the only one who called though, but Cooper didn't want to take his calls. He texted Blaine after the 10th missed call, asking him to give him some time, and much to his surprise, Blaine stopped calling. He didn't text him back either, so Cooper wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing, but he was at least glad that Blaine stopped calling.

All Cooper did that weekend was mindlessly watch TV, and torture himself by staring at pictures of him and Sebastian on his phone. He smiled sadly as he found a couple of pictures that were from just a few days ago. They were cuddling in Cooper's bed and Sebastian had fallen asleep with his head over Cooper's chest. Cooper wanted to capture that moment but Sebastian had woken up when he heard the first camera click. Sebastian had then tried to hide his face on the crook of Cooper's neck, but Cooper already managed to take a second picture. Sebastian's sleepy smile and messy hair made for an adorable picture that Cooper refused to delete, no matter how much Sebastian insisted.

Sebastian looked so happy and relaxed in that picture, and Cooper wished he could go back to that moment when they were so happy. But he couldn't. Sebastian hated him now, and Cooper wondered if he would ever be able to really talk to him and make things right.  _Time..._  Cooper realized he needed to give Sebastian time, even if every second that passed by was torture for him. How much time should Cooper give him though? A couple of days? A week? A couple of weeks?  _A month?_  Cooper didn't even want to think about waiting so long, but he knew he had to give Sebastian as much time as he needed if he wanted them to be able to talk again. And he did, so as much as it pained him, Cooper decided to text Sebastian to let him know.

_**To Sebastian Smythe:** _

_**I know you hate me right now, and you have every right to. I'm sorry for showing up at your door unannounced, I really want to see you, but I won't do it again. I won't call you again either, if you don't want to talk to me. But please, when you're ready, call me back. I love you, and I'm sorry.** _

Cooper hesitated before sending the message, and when he finally sent it, he hated himself for it, wondering if he should have worded it better. Then again, maybe there was no right way to talk to Sebastian right now, after all that had happened. Cooper tried to distract himself watching television, but it didn't seem to help him, because he couldn't stop checking his phone every two minutes. When hours passed without a response from Sebastian, Cooper felt even more sad and disappointed. Though deep down he knew Sebastian wouldn't reply.

 _"Just leave me alone"_  Was the last thing Sebastian had said to him. And as much as it pained him, Cooper knew that's exactly what he had to do.

When Monday came around, Cooper didn't feel like going to work, but the only reason he went into the office was because he was certain that if he spent one more day alone in his apartment he was going to do something stupid, like getting alcohol poisoning, or worse… calling Sebastian.

The first day at work passed slower than any other, but it was probably only Cooper's foul mood. Work at his father's office was always dreadful for Cooper, but with his current state of mind, it was becoming unbearable.

As the days went by, Cooper wasn't feeling any better. Sebastian never replied to his text, and hadn't made any attempt to contact him about his wallet and things either. Cooper felt guilty, sad, angry, and every day that passed just added more and more to him feeling absolutely miserable. Work was boring and monotonous, and when Cooper finally got out he'd go straight to his apartment. The place felt empty and cold without Sebastian, but Cooper would rather be there by himself than go to his parents' house and face Blaine.

He had managed to hold onto his promise of not contacting Sebastian but that didn't mean that he had stopped thinking about him. No matter how much he tried to distract himself with work, Sebastian always managed to be all he could think about.

The next weekend, Cooper spent all day locked inside his apartment, blankly staring at his phone. It had been days since Blaine had called him. Sebastian still hadn't contacted him at all. Cooper's feelings were starting to change now, after a whole week of silence from Sebastian, Cooper wasn't just sad and desperate as he was, now he was starting to actually get worried. It was the weekend, and that meant that Sebastian was probably going out. But where to? Cooper still had Sebastian's wallet, but that apparently hadn't prevented Sebastian from going out the last time.

So Cooper got dressed and went out on Saturday night. He visited Scandals in hopes of running into Sebastian. After all, it was the one seedy bar that Cooper could picture Sebastian getting into with no ID. He was a regular, after all. The guy at the door probably didn't even ask for his ID anymore. So he went in, hoping to see Sebastian, or at least ask around if anyone had seen him, but he had no luck. Cooper spent the night drinking at the bar by himself, sulking and brushing off the occasional suitor that approached him.

When Cooper was returning home he had the realization that maybe Sebastian had another fake ID, and that maybe he had gone to another bar altogether. He and Cooper had gone to several different clubs in Westerville and Columbus. Cooper had been stupid to think Sebastian would go to scandals. He was probably at another club this very second, hooking up with a random stranger and forgetting Cooper even existed. An irrational wave of jealousy washed over Cooper, and it took all he had in himself to not just call Sebastian and yell at him. Because god knows Cooper really wanted to. He had no right though, and that realization hurt even more. Cooper had no right to ask where Sebastian was, or care about what he did… But that didn't mean that it was easy to accept. Sebastian's indifference hurt more with every passing day.

The next week, Cooper tried to push away any thoughts of Sebastian, but he didn't quite succeed. He had given in and called Sebastian on Tuesday night, but once again Sebastian hadn't picked up. That had ruined Cooper's mood, and made the remaining weekdays a living hell. He was trying hard to apply himself at the office and keep his mind busy, avoiding his dad as much as he could, as well as the questions that his coworkers kept throwing his way.  _Are you feeling well? You don't look so good, are you okay?_  Cooper was far from okay, but he didn't want anyone to know the reason why. So he faked feeling ill, and ended up taking a sick day on Thursday. He was an actor, after all, even if all he was good for lately was bullshitting his way out of unwanted situations at work.

On Friday, Cooper was back at in the office, finishing some paperwork he had to get done before leaving, when one of the secretaries came into his office.

"Cooper, your brother is here for you."

Cooper didn't even have the time to give her an excuse to keep Blaine away for a while because as it turns out, Blaine didn't really need permission to walk around the office and he was right behind her.

"Hey Coop." Blaine said with a bright smile, though Cooper could tell if was more for appearance's sake because he dropped it the minute the secretary closed the door and left them alone.

"Hey squirt..." Cooper said nervously as Blaine walked over to his desk and sat down in one of the chairs in front of it. They just stared at each other for a while. Blaine had a stern look on his face, and Cooper was trying to avoid eye contact as much as he could because he just couldn't stand to have is brother looking at him like that. Cooper stared at his shoes instead, bracing himself for whatever Blaine was going to throw at him.

"How are you doing?"

Blaine's question took him by surprise, and when Cooper looked up, what he saw in his brother's eyes wasn't contempt but concern… Concern and a bit of exasperation. Cooper tried to smile, but he only managed a nervous grimace.  _How was he doing?_  In all honesty, Cooper felt like absolute shit, but he didn't want to say that out loud, so he just shrugged instead.

"You don't look too good, Cooper... I'm worried about you, and mom is too."

"M-mom?" Cooper felt his stomach fall to his feet, Blaine couldn't have possibly told their mother, right?

"Yeah… She hasn't heard from you in almost two weeks, you haven't picked any of our calls, or come to the house… And when she has asked dad about you he hasn't been able to tell her anything cause it seems like you have been avoiding him as well."

A fresh wave of guilt washed over Cooper at the sound of Blaine's words, because he didn't deserve his brother's sympathy, but he was still glad to get it.

"Yeah... Its just... This week has been… pretty hellish." Cooper admitted with a sad smile. He knew Blaine knew why his week had been hell, but he didn't want to say it. He didn't want to talk about Sebastian with Blaine, even though he knew it was inevitable.

Blaine remained quiet for a few seconds, and then got up from his chair.

"Why don't we get out of here? Let's go get a cup of coffee or something."

"Okay."

They ended up driving a few miles away to the nearest Starbucks. They ordered their drinks and found a quiet table on the back, where they could sit down and talk freely. After so many days of avoiding this moment, Cooper realized that it was just hard as he had imagined, but for different reasons than the ones he had imagined.

"I'm here because I want us to talk about what happened." Blaine started, as Cooper took a deep breath. "What happened on Friday was awful. To be honest, I still haven't fully processed it… But I want to understand, Coop, I really do. Cause you're my brother, and I thought we were becoming really close, but now I feel like I don't really know who you are… Or, what's going on with you."

Cooper was looking down at his coffee mug as Blaine spoke, he knew Blaine was right, and it hurt.

"Look, Coop… You're my brother, okay? I know things are a mess but I need to hear the whole story from you. Okay?"

Cooper nodded and braced himself. Blaine expected full honesty from him, and even though he was terrified of what that entailed, Cooper knew he had no choice. So right there, in that coffee shop on that Friday afternoon, Cooper poured his heart out to Blaine and told him everything that had happened between him and Sebastian. He admitted to everything he did, but he also told Blaine the truth about his feelings. Cooper didn't know if he was making the right move by opening himself up to Blaine like this, but after two weeks of silence from Sebastian and complete agony he just felt like he was cracking under the pressure.

After he finished pouring his heart out, Cooper felt like he had a painful knot tied around his throat. He could see that Blaine was just staring at him, his expression a mixture of sadness and concern. He expected Blaine to be angry, resentful, and ashamed of him. He expected him to question him ruthlessly about every little detail and judge every one of his misdeeds, but that was not what happened at all. It's not that Blaine wasn't upset about what happened, or that he had forgiven Cooper, not at all. It was just that despite his disappointment, Blaine was just really worried about his big brother.

"I don't know what to tell you… This is just such a mess, Coop."

"I know… I'm sorry."

"You don't need to apologize to me Coop. I forgive you, you're my brother… I just feel lost in all this."

"I feel the same way." Cooper admitted, wiping his eyes. It really was a miracle that he had managed not to cry during his confession to Blaine.

"Have you talked to him since... Since that day?" Blaine asked, but Cooper just shook his head.

"I tried... But he won't let me. He won't take my calls and... I went to his house once, but he practically closed the gate in my face. He doesn't want anything to do with me. He hates me." Cooper admitted defeatedly, remembering the dreadful event. He still felt like an idiot for ambushing Sebastian like that.

"But... he hasn't contacted you at all?"

"No… He hasn't."

"So he hasn't answered your calls, and he hasn't replied to any of your texts… Not even to tell you to fuck off?"

"No, nothing."

Blaine remained thoughtful for a while before speaking again.

"I think that's very telling."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think Sebastian hates you Coop. I think he's hurt, yes… But I don't think he hates you. He's probably just avoiding you to protect himself."

Cooper's confusion must have been written all over his face because Blaine looked at him and rolled his eyes.

"Look, you might know Sebastian in a way, but I know him too, in a different way... Besides, you don't know all the stories I've heard about him. The Warblers, they've told me all sorts of things… Do you know why Sebastian transferred to Dalton?"

Cooper shook his head.

"Thad says that his parents had to pull him out of his old school because of a problem he had with one of the teachers. Apparently this teacher found out Sebastian was gay, and started giving him a hard time in class because of it. Thad says he knows this because one of his cousins attended the same school… The thing is, he says Sebastian didn't just sit back and take it. He turned things around and blackmailed the teacher, photoshopped some pictures of him and humiliated in front of the whole school, the whole thing was such a mess that he had to quit his job, and Sebastian had to leave the school."

Cooper didn't know what to make of Blaine's story, it seemed much like the vilified version of Sebastian he had in his mind when he started this whole thing. It didn't seem like the Sebastian he had gotten to know at all.

"Look… I'm not saying Sebastian is crazy or anything, but when someone hurts him, or is a threat to him, he fights back, and he doesn't hold back. I've seen it, back when the whole fiasco between the Warblers and the New Directions went down. Sebastian can be really mean when he wants to… So I think if Sebastian really hated you he would have already done something to hurt or humiliate you… Don't you think?"

Cooper was taken aback and thought about Blaine's words for a moment.

"Seriously Cooper, if Sebastian hated you, you'd know it. I'm not saying he would have egged your house or slashed your tires, but I think he would have done  _something_  by now. But he hasn't, and I think that's because he still has feelings you."

"You think so?"

"I don't know. It's just a guess… And I'm not saying that you have a chance of getting back together with him or anything. But at the very least, I think there is a chance that you can make things right again."

"I don't know squirt… I don't think-"

"Just don't give up, okay?" Blaine said, interrupting him. "I still have to go to Jeff brother's wedding. Everyone liked our performance at his engagement party so much that he asked us to perform at his wedding as well. I have been avoiding rehearsals cause I'm afraid of running into Sebastian, but I can't do that anymore. The guys are counting on me, Coop."

"I know… I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Cooper. I'm fine... It's Sebastian... Sebastian's the one you need to worry about."

"You're right… I just don't know what to do." Cooper admitted.

"You'll find a way." Blaine said with a tight smile. Cooper didn't smile back, cause as much as he wanted to believe what he had Said about Sebastian not hating him, Cooper just couldn't. He desperately wanted to fix things with Sebastian, but he knew chances of it actually happening were very low.

...

Sebastian wasn't doing so great. His daily routine consisted of suffering through school and then going home only to lock himself in his room to avoid his parents. He had made up his mind to forget about Cooper. He had promised himself he wouldn't cry over Cooper anymore, and he was going to count every day as a victory until he managed to completely forget about the guy.

It seemed like a really easy thing to do when Sebastian had first thought about it, but actually going through with it proved to be harder than anything he tried to do before. Sebastian managed the not-crying part, but trying to forget about Cooper wasn't easy. As the weeks went by, no matter how hard Sebastian tried to focus on his anger and his desire to just hate Cooper, he couldn't ignore the deep sadness that kept tugging at him from within. He was still angry with Cooper...  _So angry._  But no matter how much Sebastian hated him, he couldn't ignore that there was an even stronger feeling inside him. It was a stabbing pain that came only from missing someone so much that it hurt. Some days, Sebastian wished that everything was just a dream, a horrible nightmare he could simply wake up from. Because as much as he hated Cooper, he also loved him, and just thinking about that made Sebastian sick to his stomach. Every time Cooper called, Sebastian ached to pick up, but he forced himself not to. Every time Cooper had texted him, Sebastian just read the lines over an over, but never dared to text anything back.

Then Cooper had stopped. He hadn't contacted him in almost two weeks now, and even though Sebastian thought that would make him feel better, it turned out to be the opposite.

Thoughts of Cooper invaded Sebastian's mind every waking moment. Sebastian couldn't sleep, couldn't eat, and couldn't even concentrate on his schoolwork without thinking of him. After almost three weeks of feeling absolutely miserable, Sebastian realized that maybe what he needed to do was find Cooper, and yell at him. Sebastian felt tempted to call him, but he couldn't, because more than getting that sense of closure, Sebastian wanted to save his dignity, or what little he had left of it.

Sebastian wanted to scream profanities at Cooper, slap him and punch him, to make him hurt as much as he was hurting. He wanted to just unload all his frustrations and anger on Cooper, because maybe that way he would finally be able to get him out of his mind. Sebastian had never felt so bad in his life, not even with all the crap his parents had given him over the years.

 _This…_ Sebastian figured, was what being heartbroken felt like. And he swore he would never allow himself to feel like this ever again.

Sebastian still found himself struggling to get through the days without breaking down, putting his best brave face so no one would notice just how bad he was feeling inside. Sebastian thought he was doing a good job at hiding all his emotions, but soon enough his classmates and friends noticed, and started asking questions. Every time, Sebastian would just flat out dismiss it, saying everything was fine, but some people just couldn't take no for an answer, specially the Warblers.

"You just don't seem like yourself lately." Trent had said during class one day. But Sebastian had just lied about not feeling well because of working too hard during lacrosse practice.

Sebastian had been accepted back into the team after being absent for a little more than two months. It seemed like the team really needed him, and Sebastian needed a distraction to keep himself busy. So without the Warbler practices to focus on, Lacrosse seemed like the best choice.

The truth was Sebastian wasn't feeling like himself, and as the days passed instead of feeling better he somehow only managed to feel worse. He knew the guys were still rehearsing for Jeff's brother's wedding, so he did his best to leave school early just to avoid running into Blaine. Sebastian was certain he would never be able to look at Blaine again without feeling absolutely humiliated.

School sucked, lacrosse practice sucked, and even being at home sucked. To make things worse, Sebastian's dad had started behaving like an asshole again. More often than not, Sebastian would arrive home to find his parents arguing about something. Lately Sebastian felt so drained and depressed that he didn't even have the energy to talk back to his dad when he made hurtful remarks as Sebastian walked by. He just didn't even want to go there, because he knew the second he even acknowledged his father they would end up in a fight. Sebastian just hoped his dad would leave town soon. Being home was more tolerable when his dad was away on a business trip.

Sebastian's growing frustration kept him in a foul mood, and no matter how hard he was trying to hide it, some people didn't seem to take a hint.

The last straw came finally on a Tuesday afternoon, after a particularly sucky lacrosse game. Sebastian had been feeling worse than usual after getting into a screaming match with his mother that morning. It all started when he caught her snooping through his phone. She had found some of Cooper's text messages and pictures, and was hysterically asking Sebastian about them; since it was obvious Cooper was much older than Sebastian. It all ended up with Sebastian yelling at her to stay out of his business, throwing in her face how she didn't really care about him when all she did was try to appease her abusive husband. Sebastian's words had upset his mother to the point that she slapped him, something that she had never done before. Sebastian just took his phone and left the house in a hurry, cursing his life for only going from bad to worse.

Sebastian spent the rest of the day feeling stupid and pathetic for not deleting Cooper's text messages and photos. After all, they were several weeks old now, and Cooper hadn't texted him again after that last one. It seemed that Cooper did not really care about him, and that whatever guilt trip he had gone into after getting caught had finally faded away. So the fact that a part of Sebastian was still holding on to those text messages only made him feel pathetic and weak.

With all those things in his mind, Sebastian was very distracted and conflicted, and as a result, he didn't perform well at the Lacrosse game. Many things had gone wrong during the game and Dalton had lost. The guys in the team were angry, and Sebastian's less than satisfactory performance was brought up when they were in the locker room.

"We would have scored that last one if it wasn't for Smythe… he fucking cost us the game!" Alan, one of the guys accused, as they were getting ready to hit the showers. Sebastian tried to ignore him, just shrugging indifferently as he took off his uniform. But the guy was very angry, and judging by the looks his other teammates were giving him, Sebastian knew they all agreed with what Alan was saying.

Sebastian knew they were right, to a point. Even if he didn't want to admit it out loud, Sebastian knew that he had done a poor job at the game, but it wasn't only his fault that the team lost. And they were deluded if they thought for a second that Sebastian was going to apologize or something.

Alan kept ranting about it out loud, and trying to get in Sebastian's face. Some of the guys made comments, trying to get him to calm down, but the guy got even more upset when he realized Sebastian was ignoring him.

"Smythe! I'm fucking talking to you!"

"It's just a stupid game Alan, get the fuck over it." Sebastian hissed back.

"No, I won't get over it! You did a shit job and you know it! What the fuck has gotten into you, Smythe? Did your boyfriend break up with you or something?"

Alan's words felt like a slap in Sebastian's face, and that was the last straw that made him finally snap. Sebastian threw himself at the guy, tackling him to the ground and pouching him in the face.

Sebastian felt all the frustration; anger and humiliation he'd been bottling up for weeks just explode inside him. He felt like a rabid animal, unable to control himself as he punched his teammate furiously. Alan was bigger than him though, and Sebastian was soon overpowered as his teammate yanked him by the hair and slammed his face against the floor. Alan got a few good punches in before the Coach entered the locker room and stopped the commotion.

Two guys grabbed Sebastian's arms, pulling him away from Alan, who was pulled off of Sebastian by two people as well. Sebastian tried to pull away from their grip, cursing and screaming at the guys even though he knew he needed to stop. His heart was racing and the adrenaline rushing through him had him feeling more than a little dizzy.

He finally gave up and allowed the guys to take him to the nurse's office. It was only when he was there that he realized that his mouth tasted like blood. Alan had gotten a few good punches in, and Sebastian's lip was split. There was blood on his mouth and now that the adrenaline was wearing out, Sebastian realized that his whole face hurt.

After the nurse was done patching him up, Sebastian looked at himself in the mirror and groaned. His left cheekbone was a little red and starting to swell, and his lip looked awful. It felt worse than it actually looked… which Sebastian couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not. Sebastian laughed at himself bitterly then, because his face looked bad, but not even half as bad as it had been the last time, when his dad put him in the hospital.

That thought brought a lot of bad memories for Sebastian, but it also brought bittersweet moments back to his mind. Sebastian smiled sadly, remembering how Cooper had refused to let him go, and how Cooper had taken care of him through those months when Sebastian was still in pain and recovering from his injuries.

Sebastian sighed, trying to push those memories away as he walked out of the nurse's office. All he needed to be thinking about was how much trouble his mother was going to give him once he came back home.

...

A couple of days later, on Friday that week, Sebastian left school a little later than usual after a study session with Trent and another guy from their class. He had packed a change of clothes, so he could change out of his Dalton uniform. He had no real plans for the day, or night… but he didn't want to go home yet. He wanted to avoid his parents as much as he could, and he knew they were going out to some dinner party later. So Sebastian decided to go get a cup of coffee and kill some time before heading back to his house. There was a Starbucks not far from school, so Sebastian drove there and ordered himself a drink. He looked at his reflection on the counter while he waited for his coffee and smiled. His eye still looked a little purple and a disgusting shade of pale green on the edge of his cheekbone, but since the bruise wasn't so bad, it was slowly fading away. Alan's face looked worse than Sebastian's.

He sat down in one of the small tables near the window and drank his coffee in silence. There was something soothing about being alone, watching people walk by that just helped Sebastian relax after a very eventful week. Almost an hour later, after drinking two coffees, Sebastian guessed it was finally safe to go back home. So he got up from his table and walked over to the counter hoping to buy something sweet to eat later. He was walking over to the counter when he bumped into Blaine.

"S-sebastian… Hi!" Blaine said, smiling widely, albeit a little awkwardly too.

"Hey Blaine." Sebastian said, smiling tightly in return.

"How are you?"

"Good… I'm good, just you know, getting my caffeine fix before heading home." Sebastian replied, looking away. Blaine was still smiling, like he was genuinely glad about seeing Sebastian, but there was a hint of nervousness that Sebastian noticed underneath his smile. It was awkward for a couple of seconds as they waited in line, and Sebastian wondered if he should just leave before things got any worse. He really wanted some cheesecake though, and there were only a couple of people in line so he decided to wait. Sebastian was pretending to look at the menu, but he could see Blaine was staring at him from the side.

"What happened to your eye?" Blaine asked, shaking Sebastian out of his thoughts.

"This? Oh, it's nothing… I just got into a fight with some asshole at a Lacrosse game"

"You're playing again? I thought you had quit the team."

"Yeah, I got back in… Gives me something to do in the afternoons, gotta keep myself in shape, you know?" Sebastian said with a wink. Blaine rolled his eyes but smiled, and Sebastian counted that as a victory. Flirting with Blaine used to be easy for him, but now it felt like sticking a sock on down his throat. Despite Blaine's smile, Sebastian could tell it was awkward for him too.

"So, are you meeting someone here?" Blaine asked, and Sebastian could tell Blaine was definitely a little nervous now, he just hoped Blaine wouldn't talk about Cooper because he just wanted his cheesecake and to get out of there.

"Yeah, I was just killing some time before heading home. I already had a coffee, I'm just getting some cheesecake for later." He admitted with a smile that was more strained than anything. "What about you? Don't tell me you're here all alone without your ball and chain." Sebastian could care less about Kurt, but he was hoping to change the subject as Blaine placed his order for two large coffees.

Blaine's smile faltered a bit, and Sebastian even saw him physically tense up a little when he replied. "I'm actually meeting Cooper here."

The mention of Cooper's name unleashed a storm of mixed emotions inside Sebastian. Panic, sadness, anger, _longing_ … But he just nodded, trying really hard to remain impassive as he ordered his cheesecake to go. Blaine was not smiling anymore; he looked nervous and concerned now, like he felt Sebastian was just going to bolt for the door. And he was right; Sebastian really needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

When Sebastian didn't say anything else, Blaine continued. "Look, I know what happened between you guys was pretty horrible, but…"

"Don't." Sebastian cut him off. "You don't have to speak for him, Blaine. Besides, it's done, it's over... I'm fine."

Blaine's face fell, and his shoulders even sagged as he nodded. Sebastian turned away, wishing the barista would hurry up with the goddamn cheesecake so he could get out of there.

"Can I just say something?" Blaine insisted, and Sebastian just sighed in frustration, giving the girl behind the counter a forced smile when she finally handed him his cheesecake.

"Cooper is an idiot, he is. Trust me, as his little brother, I know it more than anyone. I know he screwed up. He hurt you, and maybe he doesn't deserve your forgiveness Sebastian, but you have to know that he really regrets it... He cares about you. I know he does. Otherwise, he would have moved on by now... But he hasn't. He's been miserable all these weeks. I'd never seen him like this before."

Sebastian just rolled his eyes and breathed in as Blaine kept talking.

"I mean it Sebastian, Cooper is a mess. He's been a wreck for weeks now, and it's not because of me or anything. It's because of you… and because of what happened. He stopped trying to contact you because he is convinced that you hate him…  _Do you?"_

Sebastian looked deep into Blaine's pleading eyes. In all honesty, Sebastian had a thousand things he could tell him, but instead he just sighed and said: "Goodbye Blaine."

…

It was the fourth week of not speaking to Sebastian, and Cooper had slowly started to give up. He had managed to stop obsessing about Sebastian's whereabouts during the weekends, and he had accepted that Sebastian did not want to speak to him. No matter how much Blaine insisted that Cooper should call Sebastian, or try to talk to him in person, Cooper knew better. He had to give Sebastian space to breathe, unfortunately it seemed like Sebastian didn't want to speak to Cooper ever again. So as much as it hurt, Cooper knew he had to work on accepting that, and try to move on.

That is why when Cooper walked into Starbucks on that Friday afternoon, he felt like his heart jumped out of his chest. He stood on the entrance of the coffee shop, completely frozen as he saw Sebastian talking to Blaine, only a few feet away from him. They appeared to be having a discussion, but Cooper couldn't make up what they were saying.

Cooper just stood in place, feeling at a loss of what to do. It felt like an eternity since the last time he'd seen Sebastian, and he had missed him so much. But now that Sebastian was right there, so close, Cooper had no idea of what to do.

Before Cooper could even think any further, he saw Sebastian walking away from Blaine and heading for the door… Right where Cooper was standing. Cooper stood right where he was and felt his breath hitch as Sebastian's green eyes landed on him. Sebastian stopped right in front of him, his expression surprised but guarded at the same time as he held a small plastic container with a slice of cheesecake in his hands.

They stared at each other in silence for what seemed like an eternity before Cooper could even open his mouth to talk.

"Sebastian... Hi."

The minute the words left his mouth, Cooper saw how Sebastian's expression shifted from the initial surprise into something hard and defensive.

"Cooper..." Sebastian said coolly. "I'd say it's nice to see you, but bullshit has always been your specialty more than mine."

Cooper smiled, because even though he knew Sebastian's words were probably meant to be hurtful, it was the first thing Sebastian said to him in a month, and Cooper couldn't help but find Sebastian's harsh sarcasm refreshing after so many weeks of silence.

Sebastian brushed past Cooper, heading for the door, and Cooper reached to grab his arm before he could think better of it. Sebastian turned around and shook his arm off of Cooper's grip. The harsh motion caused Sebastian to drop the small box he was holding in his hand. The small plastic container hit the floor and cracked open, causing the slice of cheesecake to bounce out and onto the floor.

"Shit… I'm sorry." Cooper mumbled apologetically, but Sebastian just sighed and shook his head. Cooper expected Sebastian to be angry and maybe insult him or something, but what happened instead surprised him.

Sebastian just stared at Cooper; his expression was still guarded but no longer harsh and cold as it had been a while ago. Sebastian smiled, but it wasn't the warm smile Cooper remembered, it wasn't a condescending smirk either. No, Sebastian just looked tired… Like arguing with Cooper was no longer something he had energy for.

"What do you want from me, Cooper?"

Sebastian's words hung in the air between them and Cooper just stared at him blankly. What  _did_ he want from Sebastian?  _Forgiveness… A second chance?_  What was it, exactly? Standing there, in front of Sebastian, Cooper realized that he didn't really want those things, he couldn't dare to. He didn't deserve them… and he understood that now.

"Nothing..." Cooper said meekly, and Sebastian frowned, like Cooper's response was not what he expected at all. "I just want you to be happy, Seb… But I know I can't be in your life in order for that to happen. Not after what I did."

Sebastian just stared at Cooper for a second, his hands balled into fists. He didn't say anything though; he just stared at the cheesecake on the floor for a few seconds before looking up at Cooper again.

Cooper slowly took a step forward, surprised when Sebastian didn't back away. They were mere inches away from each other now, and Cooper looked deeply into Sebastian's eyes as he said: "There's not a single day that goes by in which I don't regret what I did, Sebastian. And I'd ask for your forgiveness, but I know I don't deserve it, so… What do I want from you, you ask? I just want to know that you're happy, and that you're okay."

Sebastian stared at Cooper for a couple of silent seconds. Cooper could feel his heart beating fast inside his chest, and his hands were sweaty from the nerves of all the emotions running through him. It seemed like an eternity passed before Sebastian heaved a sigh and nodded.

"Well… I'm fine. You don't have to worry about that." Sebastian said with that same tired smile. But just by looking at him, Cooper knew that it wasn't true. Sebastian had a fading bruise on his eye and a cut on his lip that looked pretty recent. Cooper couldn't help but feel his heart clenching at the thought of Sebastian's asshole father hitting him again.

"You don't look like you're okay." Cooper said, pointing to his own eye, referencing Sebastian's bruise. The minute the words left Cooper's lips, Sebastian squinted his eyes and shook his head.

"Well, I'm fine." He said firmly, turning around and pushing the door open, exiting the coffee shop. Cooper knew he shouldn't have mentioned it, but he just couldn't help it, and he wasn't going to let Sebastian leave without talking about it.

"Sebastian wait!" Cooper yelled after him, but Sebastian just ignored him as he kept walking. "Did your dad hit you again? You really need to call the police on that asshole you know!"

Cooper's words made Sebastian halt to a stop, and the look on his face when he turned around was beyond angry.

"Why don't you say that a little louder, huh? I think people in the other side of the parking lot didn't hear you!"

Cooper lifted his arms in surrender, trying to appease Sebastian. "I know it's none of my business but-"

"You're right, it's not!"

"But I'm just worried about you Sebastian. Don't you see? Your dad is a menace to you and your mom. He already put you in the hospital once… What if he does it again?  _What if he kills you one day?"_

"Don't be ridiculous."

" _I'm_  being ridiculous? Sebastian, you really need to call the police and tell them about this... And if you don't want to do it, I will!"

Sebastian squinted his eyes and walked towards Cooper until he was almost crowding his personal space. "You wouldn't dare."

"You're wrong. I'll do it…" Cooper replied defiantly. "If that's what it takes to keep you safe."

Sebastian looked him up and down and then turned away. "Don't… Just leave me alone Cooper. God!"

Cooper sighed defeatedly as he saw Sebastian get into his car and drive away.

…

Cooper's hands were shaking when he finally got back into the coffee shop. Blaine was sitting on a table with a concerned expression on his face.

"What happened?" Blaine asked, but Cooper didn't even know where to start.

"I don't know squirt... I don't even know. Everything was going good but then it just… I feel like it kind of exploded on my face." Cooper groaned, threading his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Blaine pushed the cup of now lukewarm coffee over to Cooper.

"Do you want me to ask the barista to reheat your coffee? I think it got a little bit col-"

"Did you see the bruises on Sebastian's face?" Cooper said, interrupting Blaine.

"Um… Yeah, I asked him about it. He said he got into a fight at a lacrosse game."

Cooper stared at Blaine and shook his head. "That's a lie."

"What do you mean?"

Cooper knew he probably shouldn't disclose Sebastian's personal life to Blaine, but he was seriously worried about Sebastian now and he needed to talk to someone about it.

"His father did it."

"W-what?"

"You heard me." Cooper said, reaching for his cup and taking a couple of large gulps of the coffee. "Sebastian's father was the one who put him in the hospital last time… He was drunk and beat him to a pulp… And he is the one who probably gave him that black eye now."

"Oh my god… Cooper, that's awful."

"I don't know what to do… Sebastian and his mom are covering up for him, they won't tell the police about it."

"Why not?"

"I don't know Blaine, all I know is that Sebastian's father is dangerous. But I don't know what to do."

Blaine remained thoughtful for a couple of seconds before speaking.

"Why don't you talk to mom? She has a friend that works with the police… I think on child protective services or something. I heard them talking one day about a case of domestic violence and how they managed to get a kid out of an abusive household. I think the mother was the one abusing him though, but I'm sure if you tell them they can look into Sebastian's case. He is still a minor, right?"

"Yes… He is seventeen." Cooper said, gulping down what was left on his coffee mug in one go and grimacing a bit at the bitter taste.

"Okay… I'll talk to mom and ask her for her friend's number."

"No, we need to do it tonight." Cooper said, and Blaine just nodded.

"Okay… Let's go."

...

Blaine and Cooper drove back to the Anderson home and talked to their mom. She was very helpful, calling her friend on the spot so Cooper could tell her everything he knew about Sebastian's situation. Her name was Linda Gallamore, and she worked with the Westerville police in the special victims unit. She listened to everything Cooper had to say and promised them that she would look into Sebastian's case.

Cooper felt good after speaking to her, because he knew that it was the least he could do to keep Sebastian safe. But he couldn't help but also feel a little nervous and uncertain. Part of him knew going to the police was the right thing to do, but another part of him knew that it could go both ways. No matter what the police did, Sebastian and his mother were the ones who had the last word. The police couldn't put away Sebastian's dad without their confessions, or evidence. Cooper was worried about that; because he knew Sebastian didn't want to stand up to his father, and neither did his mother.

Agent Gallamore promised to keep the Andersons updated if she had any information or news, so every single day that passed without a word from her made Cooper more and more nervous.

It was on Wednesday afternoon when Cooper got a text message from his mother, telling him that her friend Linda had called with an update. Apparently Sebastian's case was already filed in their special victims unit because of the incident 3 months ago. Sebastian's recollection of what had happened to him was very vague and there had already been suspicions from the police because of that. But since the police lacked any evidence or witnesses, nothing had happened. Agent Gallamore said she was going to pay a visit to the Smythe household later that week, and Cooper was both glad and terrified of that happening.

On Friday afternoon, Cooper was in a meeting that lasted almost three hours. When he got out of the meeting and checked his phone his heart almost stopped when he realized he had one missed call from Sebastian. Cooper immediately called him back, but Sebastian didn't pick up. He tried again a few minutes later, but he still didn't pick up. Cooper then realized he had a voicemail message:

_"You called the police, didn't you? I can't believe you fucking did that Cooper! My mom just called me and said some officer came by the house, asking questions to her and dad and now she is fucking pissed. I told you to stay out of this… Why can't you leave me alone?!"_

Sebastian sounded angry and on the verge of tears, and Cooper felt at a loss of what to do. He tried calling for a third time, but Sebastian wouldn't pick up. It was odd, because Cooper figured if Sebastian was so mad he would have answered just to give a Cooper a piece of his mind.

He went home that day feeling more troubled than ever, wondering just how much trouble was Sebastian going to have because of Agent Gallamore's visit. As it turns out, he didn't have to wait much longer to find out. Because later that night, he got a call from his mom.

"Cooper, honey where are you?" His mom sounded distressed and Cooper knew something was definitely wrong.

"I'm home... Mom, what's wrong?"

"Linda just called me. She said there was an incident with Sebastian's father, and the police intervened."

"W-what?"

"Honey, Linda stopped by the Smythe residence earlier today and talked to Sebastian's parents. She didn't get much out of them but she felt very suspicious, so she ordered a couple of agents to keep an eye on them."

"What do you mean?"

"Police surveillance of some kind... I don't know honey. All I know is that apparently there was a disturbance about an hour ago and when the police got into the house they caught the man hitting both his wife and son."

Cooper pressed himself against the wall as he felt his legs go weak. He felt his head spin and dread choking him.  _That son of a bitch had done it again… he'd put his filthy hands on Sebastian again._

"Honey, are you there?"

"Yes… Mom, what… What happened? Is Sebastian okay?"

"I don't know honey. Linda said the father was arrested, and Sebastian and his mom were taken to the hospital. I don't know how badly they're hurt. "

"Do you know which hospital?"

"Mount Carmel."

"Okay… Okay… Thanks mom."

Cooper hung up, got dressed in a hurry and drove out to the hospital. He could feel his heart beating fast and a painful knot forming in his throat just from how worried he was. Cooper's mind was swimming, thinking about all the possible and horrible scenarios that could have gone down at Sebastian's house. He had no idea about what happened, or how bad it was, but it couldn't be good if Sebastian and his mother had to be rushed to the hospital.

When Cooper finally got to the hospital, he didn't know what to do. The place was huge, and if what Cooper's mom had told him was accurate, Sebastian and his mom had been admitted little over an hour ago.

Cooper walked through the halls looking for the emergency room. He found one of the lobbies and was about to approach the front desk to ask about the Smythes when he saw a couple of police officers standing in one of the waiting rooms. Behind them, sitting in one of the couches was Sebastian, wrapped in a blanket and looking down at his shoes as he answered some questions. There was a lady sitting beside him, and Cooper immediately recognized her from the pictures his mother had shown him. It was Agent Gallamore.

Sebastian looked absolutely wrecked, his hair was sticking out in all directions and his eyes were rimmed red, but apart from that Cooper couldn't see any bruises or injuries. Cooper wanted to rush to where Sebastian was and hold him in his arms, but he felt suddenly self-conscious and worried about what that would probably look like.

 _Fuck this._  Cooper thought to himself as he walked over to them quickly. Agent Gallamore looked up and apparently recognized him, because she stood up to greet him.

"Cooper, right? It's nice to finally meet you… In person."

"I came as fast as I could…" Cooper said apologetically. Sebastian was still sitting in the couch, with the blanket wrapped tightly around himself. Now that Cooper was standing in front of him, he saw something he hadn't been able to see from afar. Sebastian had a gauze bandage on the right side of his head, like a patch right over his temple.

"You're here alone?" Agent Gallamore looked around, probably expecting to see Cooper's mom, and Cooper felt his face heating up.

"Yeah, mom called and told me about what happened… But I wasn't with her, so… I came on my own."

Agent Gallamore just nodded looked down at Sebastian. "I'll be right back, Sebastian... Okay?"

Sebastian just nodded, wiping his eyes with one of his hands and then finally glancing up at Cooper for a split second before staring down at the floor again, like he was ashamed. Cooper felt his heart breaking at how small and broken Sebastian looked. He'd never seen him like this, not even all those months ago when he'd first told Cooper about his abusive father.

Cooper sat down on the couch beside Sebastian, slowly and carefully; feeling a little bit uncertain about what to do o say. Sebastian turned to look at Cooper then and pressed his lips into a pained smile. Cooper couldn't stop himself any longer then, and just reached out, putting his arms around Sebastian. Cooper almost expected Sebastian to push him away, but he didn't. Sebastian just melted into the embrace, resting his head over Cooper's chest, closing his eyes and breathing deeply.

Neither of them said anything for a couple of minutes as they just sat there, embraced. All that could be heard was the sound of Sebastian's sniffling as he kept wiping away tears from his eyes.

 _"It's okay now… You're safe."_  Cooper whispered, pressing his lips to the top of Sebastian's head, and trying to keep his own tears at bay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you guys think? Also, I managed to insert a little picture I made right at the starbucks scene! I wish I knew I could do that sooner. HOpe you guys enjoyed!


	14. Chapter 14

Cooper had almost forgotten how good it felt to hold Sebastian in his arms. _It had been so long_ since he had that Cooper was just reminded of how much he missed the feeling of Sebastian being pressed up against his chest. He loved how good Sebastian's hair smelled because of that fancy herbal shampoo he liked to use, even though at the moment that smell was mixed with the unmistakable scent of rubbing alcohol and medicine.   
  
Cooper loved how Sebastian's slender frame fit perfectly in his arms when they held each other.  Now that Cooper had his arms around Sebastian again, he never wanted to let him go.  Cooper couldn't believe Sebastian wasn't pushing him away, especially considering how angry he had been at Cooper just hours before. Even though their position was a little awkward, with them sitting beside each other, Cooper still was able to put his arms around Sebastian, who was just sitting there peacefully with his head rested over Cooper's chest. They had been completely silent though, and Cooper knew they would have to talk soon, but Sebastian was just lax in his arms, completely silent… almost _too_ silent, Cooper noticed.  
  
From the corner of his eye, Cooper saw Agent Gallamore walking back to where they were seated. He immediately tensed up, and tried to get Sebastian to sit up, but he didn't even move. Cooper didn't know what it would look like to her that he was holding Sebastian this way. But then as she stood in front of them, a warm smile graced her lips, and Cooper felt a little more at ease... That is, until she spoke.  
  
"Oh, did Sebastian fall asleep? He's a little woozy because of the painkillers the doctors gave him."   
  
 _Oh._  
  
Cooper realized in that moment the reason why Sebastian had been unusually quiet and still in his arms… He was heavily medicated. _Great._  
  
"Sebastian?" Cooper whispered, moving his arms and trying to get Sebastian to sit up again, but he felt like a rag doll. His head was bobbing as he tried to open his eyes.  
  
"Hmm sorry." Sebastian said with a raspy voice. Rubbing his eyes with his right hand. He put his left hand down to push himself up and away from Cooper, accidentally landing it in Cooper's thigh. Once Sebastian sat up and looked at him, he immediately pulled back his hand. Cooper tried not to take it to heart, but Sebastian suddenly looked a little guarded, and all the fears Cooper had about being pushed away came crashing down on him again.  
  
Cooper couldn't help but feel a little wary now, wondering exactly how drugged Sebastian was? Was he really comfortable having him around, or were the painkillers just numbing him so much that they made him forget he actually hated Cooper at the moment?  
  
"How are you feeling?" Agent Gallamore asked, and Sebastian just frowned, like he was trying to gather his thoughts.  
  
"Um… I'm fine... I think."  
  
"Does it still hurt?" She pointed to her own head, mirroring where Sebastian had the bandage. Sebastian just shook his head slowly, attempting to smile a little before rubbing his eyes again.  
  
"He needs to get a good night's sleep. He's had a rough day." Agent Gallamore said, looking at Cooper now. "I was going to drive him home but… Do you think he could stay with you?"  
  
"S-stay with me?"  
  
"Yes, Sebastian said he doesn't want to stay here in the hospital, and he doesn't really need to… He has a concussion, but he'll be alright. His mother however, needs to stay the night, and there's no one else at his house. Sebastian needs someone to keep a close eye on him at least for the next 48 hours. The painkillers the doctors gave him are pretty strong and it would be best if he is not alone, so… Do you think he could stay with you and your mom?"  
  
"Um… Of course. It's not a problem." Cooper quickly added, looking expectantly at Sebastian to see if he reacted, but Sebastian was staring at the floor now and appeared to be lost in thought. Had he even heard what Agent Gallamore suggested? Cooper couldn't know.  
  
"Great. Just keep an eye on him, make sure he gets some rest and doesn't strain himself walking too fast or lifting any heavy objects. If anything happens you need to bring him back immediately, alright? Any pain, dizziness, or nose bleeding must be taken as warning signs and need medical attention."  
  
Cooper nodded in understanding, getting up from the couch and helping Sebastian to get up on his feet.  
  
"We'll be in touch, Sebastian, okay? I will call you tomorrow like we talked about." Agent Gallamore told Sebastian, who just nodded. She gave Cooper a polite nod and sent them on their way.  
  
Cooper put his hand on the small of Sebastian's back as they slowly walked towards the parking lot. To say he was nervous was an understatement. Cooper felt so uncertain about how to behave around Sebastian that he was starting to panic. Sebastian was slowly walking by his side, not really pushing away Cooper's hand from his back, but also clearly avoiding his gaze. Sebastian was definitely lost in thought, and not knowing what was going through his mind was slowly driving Cooper nuts.  
  
When they finally reached the car, Cooper opened the door for Sebastian, and that is when they finally made eye contact for the first time since they left the building. Sebastian stared at Cooper for a few seconds that felt like an eternity, but didn't say a word. The expression on his face was blank and gave nothing away. Sebastian looked like he wanted to say something though, but he just sighed and got into the car.  
  
Cooper closed the door and walked to the driver's side. When he got into the car, Sebastian finally spoke.  
  
"I don't want to go to your house." He said, voice low and still raspy. Sebastian wasn't really looking at him, his eyes were fixed on the car's dashboard, but Cooper just nodded, breathing in as he started the car. As he drove out of the hospital parking lot, Cooper turned on the radio to help ease some of the tension, or at least make the silence between him and Sebastian a little more bearable.  
  
After a few minutes of driving in silence, Cooper spoke again.  
  
"Agent Gallamore said it wasn't good for you to be alone right now… I can take you to your house if you want, but I don't think being alone is a good idea, Seb."  
  
Sebastian didn't reply, and Cooper couldn't help but feel troubled and concerned. Sebastian was unusually quiet and Cooper couldn't help but wonder just how much of it was because of the meds, and how much of it was because of the tension between them.  
  
"I know what she said." Sebastian finally said, pulling Cooper out of his thoughts. "But I can't go to your house Cooper… Or to your parents'… I don't want to see Blaine... or your mom. I just want to be alone."  
  
Cooper nodded understandingly, trying to hide just how much Sebastian's words affected him. He didn't want to push Sebastian, but he also really didn't want to just leave him at his house, by himself. What if something happened and there was no one to help him?  
  
Cooper understood why Sebastian wouldn't want to go with him, or stay in an unfamiliar house like his parents', but if he thought Cooper was just going to leave him alone, he was severely mistaken. If Sebastian didn't want to stay at his house, Cooper would stay with him at his'. Would Sebastian let him stay though? Cooper didn't know. Sebastian had only mentioned not wanting to go with Cooper because of his mom and Blaine. He hand't mentioned anything about Cooper going to his house with him… Or at least not yet.  
  
Neither of them spoke again for the rest of the ride. Not until they arrived at Sebastian's house. The gate was open, so Cooper drove inside until he was parked in the driveway in front of the estate's main door. Sebastian's house was dark and appeared to be empty. As Cooper killed the engine he wondered why there was no one up, waiting for Sebastian to return home. Surely the Smythes must have hired staff to keep up with such a large estate, right?   
  
Sebastian opened the door and slowly walked out of the car, Cooper followed suit, walking behind him until they were standing right in front of the door. Sebastian tried to open it but it was locked.  
  
"Shit."  
  
"You don't have a key?"  
  
"No…" Sebastian sighed, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand. "I'll just try the back door." Sebastian said, but when he moved to walk, he swayed a little. Cooper grabbed his arm, stopping him from falling.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cooper was concerned, but Sebastian just shrugged him off.   
  
"I'm fine… I just tripped."  
  
Cooper decided not to comment on the fact that he knew Sebastian hadn't tripped, he just silently followed him to the back of the house instead. Luckily the door was open, and they were able to get inside.  Sebastian was swaying a little with every step he took, so Cooper stayed close behind him, keeping a safe distance at the same time.  The hallway was dark, and the house was eerily silent, which Cooper found to be odd. Didn't the Smythe's have house staff that should be up? It wasn't that late, but the house appeared to be empty.  
  
They walked until they reached the living room. When Sebastian turned on the lights, Cooper felt his breath hitch. The room was a mess, there was a coffee table shattered to pieces, and broken glass everywhere. Next to the remains of it, there was a small stain of blood on the floor. Cooper didn't even want to know that happened, but at the same time he wanted nothing more than to ask Sebastian about it.  
  
Sebastian stared at the mess before him and then shook his head, looking disappointed and incredibly tired as he dropped down on one of the couches. Cooper studied him, almost counting the minutes until Sebastian would inevitably kick him out of the house, but much to his surprise, it didn't happen. Sebastian was just sitting in the couch, staring at the mess in front of him, lost in thought.  
  
Cooper was so afraid Sebastian would suddenly react badly to him being there that he almost didn't want to move, just so he wouldn't risk Sebastian changing his mind about him being there. But after a few minutes of silence, he slowly walked over to the couch where Sebastian was, and sat down, keeping a wise distance from him. There were so many things Cooper wanted to ask Sebastian, but he remained silent. He could tell Sebastian had a lot on his mind as well, so he wanted to let him be the one to speak first.  
  
"Everything is a fucking mess." Sebastian finally said, rubbing his hands over his face.  
  
"How are you feeling? Does your head hurt?"  
  
"Not really… It just feels weird… I don't know." Sebastian was rubbing his temple and had his eyes closed now. Cooper wished he could reach over and put his arms around him again, but he wasn't sure he could do it. There was a heavy awkwardness that hung between them, and Cooper's mind was reeling trying to come up with something to say, but his eyes kept landing on the horrible blood stain on the floor.   
  
Sebastian caught him looking at the blood and sighed.  
  
"That's probably mine. It's disgusting... Isn't it?"  
  
Cooper dreaded that was the case, but he tried to act surprised anyway. "The blood?"  
  
Sebastian just nodded, crossing his arms and laying on the side of the couch, looking up at the ceiling. "It looks like a freaking crime scene."  
  
"How come no one has cleaned up?"  
  
"Cause there's no one to do it... Not anymore."  
  
"What do you mean? You don't have maids… or, any house staff?"  
  
"No… They're all gone." Sebastian said bitterly. "My dad fired everyone earlier today."   
  
Cooper didn't comment on that, since he didn't really want to touch the subject of Sebastian's father. That would probably just end up with Sebastian remembering that Cooper actually was the one who put the police onto him in the first place. He was going to change the subject but suddenly Sebastian started speaking again.  
  
"I came home from school and they were fighting, which is nothing new but... Most times it's just my dad going on and on, screaming and ranting by himself while my mother just listens or tries to calm him down. But not this time… This time my mom was yelling back."  
  
Cooper remained silent as Sebastian kept talking. He wasn't looking at him, he still had his eyes fixed on the ceiling as he told Cooper about everything that happened.  
  
"I already knew what was going on, but I never expected it to be las bad as it was… My dad was angry like I'd never seen him before… He was out of his mind… Absolutely manic. When I came through the door he had my mom backed against a wall… He's always been an asshole, but I couldn't just let him treat my mom like that. So I walked in and yelled at him to leave her the fuck alone. I pushed him away from her so hard that he fell against the coffee table and shattered it to pieces. I knew he would kick my ass as soon as he got up so I wasn't going to let him get up…"  
  
Sebastian remained thoughtful for a while and Cooper couldn't help but ask: "What did you do?"  
  
"I kicked him… I kicked him in the stomach as hard as I could cause I figured that would stop him at least for a while... Then I turned to check up on my mom, to see if she was okay. She was shaking and crying… I didn't realize my dad had gotten up until my mom screamed… She tried to warn me but... Everything happened so fast. I don't remember what happened, but apparently my dad hit me in the head with an ashtray… When I woke up I was in the ambulance with my mom... We were on our way to the hospital."  
  
"Is she okay?"  
  
"No, but she will be… Eventually... I guess." Sebastian frowned, with his eyes still closed, like he was trying hard to get the words out. "The bastard… He hit her so hard he broke her nose."  
  
"What an asshole." Cooper whispered through gritted teeth. He couldn't believe what Sebastian was telling him. He couldn't believe anyone could stoop so low… He knew Sebastian's father was awful, but beating his wife and son to the point of putting them in the hospital? That was a whole other level of cowardice… Not to mention that he could have killed Sebastian with that blow to the head.  
  
Silence fell between them again, and for a moment Cooper thought Sebastian had fallen asleep, but then he spoke again.  
  
"I don't even know who called the police, since we were alone in the house... Maybe one of the neighbors heard my mother screaming… I don't know." Sebastian sounded like he was on the verge of falling asleep. His voice was still raspy and barely a whisper.  
   
Cooper's stomach turned just thinking about what could have happened if the police hadn't intervened. He couldn't help feeling a little guilty too, since he knew that in a way he had triggered the whole situation by talking to agent Gallamore. He knew he had done the right thing, but he had never expected things to end up this way.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Seb..." Was all Cooper could say. Sebastian still had his eyes closed, so Cooper had no way of knowing what he was thinking or feeling. "I never meant for any of this to happen."  
  
"Well, it did…" Sebastian said bluntly, then remained silent for a few seconds before adding "It's not your fault though."  
  
Cooper was sure Sebastian blamed him for what happened, especially after that angry voicemail he left earlier... So hearing him say this was completely unexpected. It gave Cooper a little hope, but he wished Sebastian would open his eyes and looked at him. Sebastian still had his eyes closed though, so Cooper felt more than a little lost... And he couldn't stand the feeling anymore.  
  
"So… Y-you don't hate me for what happened?"   
  
The minute the words left his mouth, Cooper wished he could take them back. He felt his heart beating fast with the anticipation of what Sebastian would say, especially when he opened his eyes to look at Cooper. Sebastian sighed, and then shook his head slowly, closing his eyes again without saying a word. Several minutes passed in silence, and Sebastian's hesitation to respond made Cooper even more nervous.  
  
"No… I don't hate you, Cooper." Sebastian finally said after a long sigh. "I don't have the energy anymore."  
  
Cooper breathed in, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. There was certain bite to what Sebastian had said, but it didn't matter, because he just said he didn't hate Cooper. Sebastian didn't hate him. _Sebastian didn't hate him!_  He was angry with him, of course Cooper knew that. But there was huge a difference between anger and hatred… A difference that mattered, because it gave Cooper a tiny glimpse of hope. Cooper pressed his lips into a tight smile, trying hard to keep himself together, but when he turned to look at Sebastian, he realized it didn't really matter because Sebastian still had his eyes closed. Cooper waited and waited, but Sebastian didn't say anything else, and for a moment, he wondered if it was because he'd actually fallen asleep.  
  
"Sebastian? … Seb?"  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
Yeah Sebastian was definitely on the verge of falling asleep, which made Cooper smile for a moment. Sebastian looked so cute when he was sleepy. Cooper's memory was suddenly filled with memories of Sebastian falling asleep in bed next to him. He always looked so peaceful and innocent when he was sleeping, but not this time. This time he looked small and tired. The ugly bandage on Sebastian's head and the horrible red and purple swelling that was starting to form on the left side of his face chased all of Cooper's fond memories away.   
  
The minutes passed, and Cooper sat there in silence, just staring at Sebastian. His breathing was slow and even now, and he was snoring a little so Cooper could tell he was definitely asleep.  
  
On one hand, Cooper was glad to see Sebastian sleeping. After all, Agent Gallamore said that he needed to rest. But on the other hand, Cooper knew the living room couch wasn't an ideal place for Sebastian to fall asleep. He needed to lie down correctly, not fall sleep all tangled up on the side of a couch that was too small for him to even stretch his legs. If Cooper left him there, Sebastian would wake up feeling even more sore than he probably already was because of his injuries. But what could he do? He didn't want to wake him, or risk pissing him off.  
  
Cooper looked around, trying to figure out what to do, but his eyes always ended up landing on the awful blood stain on the floor. He got up and walked towards the kitchen, determined to find something to clean up with. Sebastian's house was so big that it took him a while to find where they kept the cleaning supplies. He got a broom, a mop, scented disinfectants, chlorine and walked back to the living room, determined to do something useful.  
  
He swept away the broken glass, trying to make as little noise as possible. The blood was already dry so it was a little difficult to remove from the floor. Cooper tried not to think too much about it… He tried to imagine it was just some random stain and not Sebastian's blood he was scrubbing off from the floor, but his stomach still turned when he saw the previously white mop stained with a disgusting brownish-red.  
  
The coppery smell was awful, even though it was just a small stain, so Cooper used a lot of chlorine on the floor, until he could no longer smell it. When he finally finished cleaning up, he turned to look at Sebastian and found him still fast asleep on the couch. He had shifted sometime while Cooper was cleaning and was now resting on his side, with his hand hanging from the couch and almost touching the floor.  
  
Cooper sat down next to him and put his hand over his shoulder, but Sebastian didn't move.  
  
"Sebastian?" Cooper whispered, gently trying to wake him up. "Sebastian, you can't sleep here… Let's get you to bed."  
  
Sebastian was still half asleep when Cooper helped him sit up. He was mumbling nonsense and rubbing his eyes, but he still managed to get on his feet and walk with Cooper towards the hallway. Cooper put his arm around Sebastian's waist and guided him as they slowly walked up the stairs. Cooper had never been in Sebastian's house, so he really had no idea where Sebastian's room was.   
  
"Which way?" Cooper asked once they were on the second floor. Sebastian was rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, and Cooper wondered if he had a headache.  
  
"Um, first door to the right." Sebastian mumbled, letting Cooper guide him towards the door.   
  
They entered the room and luckily there was enough light coming through the window for Cooper to see where the bed was, so he could guide Sebastian to it. He reached for the nightstand lamp and turned it on as Sebastian dropped down on the bed.  
  
"Are you alright?" Cooper asked, but Sebastian just laid down and closed his eyes without saying a word. It looked like he had fallen asleep again, just like that. Cooper guessed it must have been a mixture of the exhaustion of the day's events and the painkillers. But he didn't want to just leave him there and leave.  
  
He walked towards the closet and carefully opened the door. He turned to see if the noise from the door sliding open had woken Sebastian up but it hadn't. So he proceeded to take a look inside the closet and see if he could find something more comfortable for Sebastian to sleep in. He grabbed a shirt and some sweatpants and walked back to the side of Sebastian's bed. He took one last look at Sebastian laying on the bed before putting his clothes beside him.   
  
Sebastian's room was not what he expected. It sure didn't look anything like what Cooper's room looked like when he was younger. Everything was clean and in perfect order. There was a small bookshelf filled with books and magazines, and a collection of small vintage cars. He never knew Sebastian collected them. There were also a lot of framed pictures on one of the walls opposite the closet, but the photographs were not of family or friends, but of places… Parks, flowers, bridges. Cooper wondered if Sebastian had taken the pictures himself, and realized he had never mentioned anything about liking photography before.  
  
As strongly as Cooper felt about Sebastian, he realized that there were still a lot of things that he didn't know about him. Cooper stood beside Sebastian and gave his foot a little push with his knee.  
  
"Seb… Are you awake?"  
  
There was no response from Sebastian, so Cooper decided to take a risk, slowly reaching down to take off one of his shoes. The touch finally got Sebastian to react and he opened his eyes lazily to look at Cooper as he took off the other one.  
  
"You gotta get into bed, and get some rest. I uh… There's a t-shirt and some sweatpants if you want to change."  
  
"You picked them out for me." Sebastian whispered lazily. It wasn't a question, but it was phrased tentatively.  
  
"Yeah, sorry I just… I don't think you should sleep in those clothes."  
  
Sebastian sat up and slowly started unbuttoning his shirt. Cooper felt inadequate all of the sudden, wondering what he should do. Sebastian could have kicked him out by now, and he hadn't, but Cooper still didn't feel at ease.  
  
Sebastian put on the t-shirt and then proceeded to take off his pants. Cooper looked away to try and give him some privacy, even though he had already seen him naked before. When he turned to look at Sebastian again he realized he was rubbing his temples.   
  
"Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Uh… Yeah, I'm just a little dizzy… A lot dizzy, actually."  
  
Cooper immediately remembered what Agent Gallamore had said about dizziness or pain and got worried.  
  
"You're dizzy? Are you in any pain?"  
  
"I'll be fine. I just need to sleep."  
  
"Maybe we should go back to the hospital."  
  
"What? No…"  
  
"Sebastian… The doctor's said-"  
  
"They said I could go home."  
  
"But Agent Gallamore said that if-"  
  
"I know what she said, Cooper." Sebastian cut him off again. "But I don't want to go back to the hospital… Please?"  
  
Cooper looked at Sebastian's pleading eyes and he wished more than anything that he could push away all his feelings, because he wanted nothing more than just take him away to the hospital and make sure he was alright. But he knew he couldn't. If Sebastian didn't want to go, he couldn't make him go. Sebastian pulled the covers from his bed and got under them, resting on his side and still looking at Cooper as he stood by the bed. Cooper hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to Sebastian.  
  
"I'm just worried about you Seb… I just want you to be safe."  
  
"I'm safe here... You don't have to worry anymore." Sebastian yawned and closed his eyes.  
  
 _I will always worry._ Cooper thought to himself, but not daring to say it out loud. He stayed there, sitting beside Sebastian for a few silent minutes, wondering what to do. He didn't want to leave, but there was nowhere he could sleep there, apart from Sebastian's bed, and going downstairs would be no good in case Sebastian needed him during the night. Cooper stood up, feeling torn about what to do when Sebastian spoke again.  
  
"Are you leaving?"  
  
Sebastian barely had his eyes opened, and looked like he was half asleep. Cooper could see that Sebastian's question was genuine, but he needed to ask a question of his own.  
  
"Do you want me to leave?"  
  
Sebastian didn't reply. He just looked down, and Cooper didn't know what to make of it. So he decided to try and ask him something else.  
  
"Did you mean what you said downstairs… About not hating me?"  
  
"I don't know..." Sebastian admitted, and even though Cooper's heart fell at the sound of those words, he still managed to give Sebastian a wistful smile.   
  
"Well… I won't leave unless you want me to."  
  
Sebastian just stared at him for a while and just when Cooper was about to give up and leave, Sebastian scooted over to the other side of the bed. Cooper didn't understand at first, but then Sebastian said a single word that changed everything.  
  
"Stay."  
  
Cooper didn't say anything after that. He just slowly took off his jacket and shoes and got into the bed. Sebastian's bed was big enough that Cooper was able to lay on his side and still keep a respectful distance from Sebastian, who was staring at him through half lidded eyes. Cooper could tell Sebastian had been trying hard to stay awake, but he was slowly losing the battle against sleep. It had been a long day, and Cooper knew there were still lots of things they needed to talk about. But at least now Cooper knew they would talk in the morning, and that hope alone was enough for him to be able to close his eyes and sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thanks so much for the great reviews last chapter. I appreciate every one of them even if I don't always reply. Thanks for the patience and the support. Here is a new chapter, kind of feels like a filler, but it really isn't. More complicated stuff still needs to happen, and I hope I can update soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, this is the longest I have taken to update, and I apologize for taking so long. I hope none of you have given up on this little story. I know I haven't... so I hope you can stick around and be patient. According to my outline, there's only one chapter and then an epilogue left. 
> 
> So yeah... I hope you enjoy this chapter! I hope there aren't too many mistakes, but it's midnight and I really want to post it so.... Let me know! :)

When Sebastian opened his eyes the next day, he was suddenly very aware of his surroundings. The events of the previous day seemed like a bad dream, but now that the sun was out again, all the memories came crashing down on him along with a massive headache. He was sleeping on his side, even though his face hurt a bit when he blinked… He didn't want to turn around though, cause he knew Cooper was right there, sleeping in the bed next to him. Sebastian could feel the weight of Cooper's body in the mattress, and he could hear the faint noise of his breathing. Was he awake? Was he still sleeping? It was hard to tell... And even though he had been the one to tell him to stay the night before, Sebastian wasn't sure he was quite ready to deal with what that actually entailed… Not right now, when he had a million different things running through his head. His mom was in the hospital, his dad was in jail, and he was alone in his house with Cooper Anderson lying in his bed.

_Fuck._

Sebastian's discomfort eventually grew bigger than his unwillingness to ignore the situation, so after a few long minutes of hesitation, he finally turned around, lying on his back and facing the ceiling. Cooper was awake; Sebastian could almost feel his bright blue eyes staring at him from hindsight. He probably was expecting Sebastian to look at him and say something… But Sebastian had no idea what to do or say. He didn't have the energy to even try, so he just turned his face to the left and finally met Cooper's gaze. Sebastian felt a mix of conflicting emotions stirring inside him like a turmoil as their eyes met. Cooper's eyes looked pleading as he stared at Sebastian expectantly. His hair was a mess over his forehead and Sebastian instantly remembered all the times they had woken up in bed together. How easy it used to be to just to smile at each other and kiss, or cuddle under the blankets for a while before getting up. But now it was different, everything was complicated and awkward.

"Hi…" 

"Hi." 

They stared at each other for a few seconds, and that is all it took for Sebastian to know he couldn't do this. His head felt like it was being split in half, and so he sat up to reach for the medicine that he'd left on his nightstand. He reached for the pills but realized he couldn't take them. He needed water, and that meant going down to the kitchen. Just the thought of having to get out of bed and walking downstairs was enough to make Sebastian groan in frustration as he pulled his hand over his forehead, touching the side of it and wincing as he felt his swollen skin under his fingers. The bandage he had was on the floor, smeared with a few weird coppery looking spots… Completely disgusting. Sebastian expected it to fall off; after all, he had gotten stitches so he really didn't need it any more. 

"How are you feeling?" Came Cooper's voice from behind him… and Sebastian could feel the bed move, which meant Cooper was probably sitting up now. 

"Uh… My head's killing me." Sebastian groaned, getting off the bed before Cooper could put his hand over his shoulder. When he turned around, Sebastian saw Cooper's outstretched arm resting over the sheets of his bed and turned away, walking towards the door before he could think anything else of it. 

"Where are you going?" 

"Downstairs… I'll just… I need to get some water." 

Sebastian said, not looking back at Cooper before opening the door of his bedroom and storming down the hall. Once he reached the stairs, he slowed down, not wanting to make his headache worse by straining himself more than he absolutely needed to. Cooper wasn't coming after him, this was not a chase, he just needed his headache to stop so he could make sense of everything that happened and figure out what he was going to do next. 

He got to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water and sat down in one of the chairs on the kitchen island. The house was dead silent, which was odd compared to the usual chatter from the maids, or his mother talking on the phone. Sebastian took his pill and put his head down, resting it over his crossed arms. He knew he had to go back upstairs and face Cooper sooner or later, but he at least wanted to have a clear head when he did that. So he stayed there, not really being able to keep track of time, until he heard approaching footsteps. 

He looked up and saw Cooper walking into the kitchen. He smiled at Sebastian before sitting down right in front of him. 

"Feeling better?" 

Sebastian just shrugged. 

"Are you hungry?" 

Sebastian frowned, thinking about Cooper's question for a moment. He was a little hungry, but making food for himself was last on his priority list with everything else that was going on through his mind. 

"Cause I'm starving." Cooper continued; smiling lazily and making Sebastian automatically smile as well. 

"Yeah… I guess I'm a bit hungry too..." 

Before Sebastian could even finish what he was going to say, Cooper got up from the chair and walked over to the pantry, opening the large wooden doors and taking a look inside. Sebastian just stared as Cooper got out a few boxes and plastic containers. 

"What are you doing?" 

"I'm making pancakes… Is that okay?" Cooper said, smiling over his shoulder before going back to getting everything ready. Sebastian didn't know how to feel about this, but it was definitely better than having an awkward morning conversation, so he nodded at Cooper his approval and just sat by as he made pancakes for them to eat. 

Cooper was deeply concentrated on his task, mixing the pancake batter and adding a couple of mashed bananas to it, as he knew Sebastian liked. He could almost feel Sebastian's eyes burning holes on his back, but he didn't want to turn around, not yet. He wanted to make things as normal as possible, he figured Sebastian had enough stress and maybe a little bit of normalcy would help ease his mind after the crazy night he had. Besides, he didn't really know how to approach him without making things uncomfortable so he figured feigning normalcy was his best bet. Sebastian hadn't been completely clear-headed the night before, so he could just flip back to hating him for all Cooper knew. And the last thing he wanted was for Sebastian to kick him out.  

All this thoughts troubled Cooper as he started putting the batter over the frying pan, so he almost jumped out of his skin when he felt Sebastian standing beside him. Cooper was about to ask him if he needed something but he didn't have to, as he saw Sebastian getting the coffee maker ready. He just looked at Cooper with a tight and slightly awkward smile before returning to sit down at the kitchen island. 

When the pancakes were ready, so was the coffee and soon enough Cooper and Sebastian found themselves eating in silence. Cooper alternated between looking down at his food and then up at Sebastian who seemed lost in thought as he ate. Every silent minute that passed made nothing to ease Cooper's mind, but the fact that Sebastian wasn't throwing him out gave him hope. 

"How are you feeling?" Cooper asked, when the silence became unbearable. 

"Well, headache is still there… kind of. But the pancakes are good." 

"Thanks." 

Sebastian smiled a little, and Cooper did too. They ate the rest of the pancakes in silence, and even though the awkwardness between them was still there, there was a familiarity about just sitting there together, eating in each other's company, that brought back so many memories. It felt natural and familiar... Somehow it just felt _right._  

"What are you going to do today?" 

"Honestly? I don't know…" Sebastian said, sighing. "Well, apart from going to the hospital to check on my mother…" 

"Do you want me to give you a ride?" 

"It's okay… I can drive." 

"I know you can… It's just…" 

"What?" 

"I though maybe you'd like some company. It's all…" Cooper almost winced as he said those words, bracing himself for Sebastian's rejection, but that's not what happened. Sebastian stayed silent as he finished eating his last pancake and then picked up his cup and took a sip of his coffee. His eyes didn't meet Cooper's until he finished what was left on his cup. 

"Okay." 

"Okay?" 

"Yeah… I guess I wouldn't mind some company."

 

…

 

After breakfast, Cooper waited downstairs as Sebastian went back to his room to take a shower and get dressed. Cooper was still wearing yesterday's clothes, but he didn't care. He felt like he was stepping on eggshells when it came to this whole situation, and the fact that Sebastian was letting him take him to visit his mom at the hospital felt almost too good to be true. Cooper knew they would have to talk about things sooner or later, but he didn't even dare to touch the subject. Not when he knew Sebastian had worse things to worry about.

He drove Sebastian to the hospital and waited in the lobby as he went to his mother's room. His phone's battery was about to die, but Cooper still counted the time Sebastian was gone. Not even half an hour after he left, Sebastian was back, looking upset and even a little pale as he met Cooper in the waiting room. 

"How is she?" Cooper asked, though just by looking at Sebastian he knew things couldn't be good. 

"I need to get out of here." Sebastian said, not even stopping to see Cooper and just walking towards the parking lot. Cooper followed as quickly as he could, almost running after him. Once Sebastian was finally outside he turned to look at Cooper. 

"What's wrong?" 

"Everything!" Sebastian yelled in disbelief, and Cooper was at a loss of what to do. 

"Is it your mom? What happened?" 

"No… My mom's fine… but won't be out of the hospital until tomorrow." 

"Okay… That's good, right?" Cooper asked tentatively, not quite understanding why Sebastian was so upset. 

"My dad's getting out of jail…" 

"What!" 

"My mom says their lawyer, well… My dad's lawyer called… He's bailing him out at noon." 

"Wait but… What does that mean?" 

"What do you think? It means the bastard is walking out of jail… Just like that." 

"He can't do that." 

"He can, unless my mom presses charges... And quite frankly I don't think she will." 

Cooper couldn't believe what he was hearing… and the panicked look on Sebastian's face was just making Cooper's blood boil. He was walking out so soon? Where was the justice in that? 

"We need to call Agent Gallamore." Cooper said, but Sebastian was already walking away. 

"No, we need to go to my house… I need to get there before my dad does." 

Cooper looked down and panicked as he saw the time. 11:43 am, they really needed to go and fast. They got to Cooper's car and he drove as fast as he could without breaking any speed limits. Sebastian was silent the whole way, looking out the window and biting his thumb. Cooper had never seen him so stressed before, and he knew he needed to do something to help. 

The second Cooper parked outside the Smythe residence, Sebastian practically jumped out the car. Cooper killed the engine and ran after him, rushing up the stairs. When he got to Sebastian's room he found him packing. 

"What are you doing?" 

"What does it look like... I'm getting the fuck out of here. If my mom wants to stay here and take my dad’s shit then that’s her problem. I’m not staying here… Fuck this… I can’t, I just can’t." 

Sebastian didn't even look at Cooper as he frantically threw clothes from his closet and into an open suitcase. It was already past noon and they had no way of knowing if Sebastian's dad was going to come to the house or not, but apparently Sebastian wasn't taking any chances. 

He put almost all his clothes, including his school uniforms inside the suitcase and then threw his shoes, along with his phone and computer chargers into a duffel bag. Suddenly, they were startled by the sound of the main gates opening. Sebastian ran towards the window, looked down, and then rushed towards the bed, closing the suitcase in a hurry. 

“He’s here." 

"I'll help you with your bag." Cooper said hurriedly, but Sebastian was so busy getting the rest of his shoes and other things in the duffel bag that he didn't even say anything. He just grabbed the duffel bag as Cooper grabbed the suitcase and walked quickly towards the hallway. Just as they were going down the stairs, a man entered the front door. Cooper knew it was Sebastian's father just by looking at him, because they looked so much like each other.  

When Sebastian saw his dad he froze, and Cooper could tell just by looking at him just how distressed he was. His jaw was clenched, his hands balled into fists as he held the duffel bag. His eyes were cold and his breathing was becoming harsher by the second. Cooper immediately stepped beside Sebastian, feeling very protective in the face of finally meeting the man that had hurt him so much.  

Sebastian's father looked surprised at first, like he wasn’t expecting to find Sebastian at the house. They stared at each other for a few seconds, and Cooper could tell Sebastian’s father was alternating between looking at Cooper and at his own son. 

“Sebastian…” The man blurted out, seemingly shocked and almost apologetically, which Cooper did not expect.

Sebastian breathed in and didn't reply. Cooper was looking expectantly at him, trying to figure out what he was going to do, but Sebastian was just frozen on the spot, looking sternly at his father, who was standing right at the door. There was no way they could leave without walking up to where he was standing, and Cooper was on edge. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he was ready to jump and punch the man in the gut if it was necessary. 

"Seb... Let's go... I'll be right beside you." Cooper whispered lowly, which startled Sebastian a little, but then Sebastian nodded and started walking down the stairs again. 

Once they were almost in front of Sebastian’s father, he looked down and realized Sebastian had packed his things and was leaving, so he immediately took a step forward, blocking their way. 

“Wait… Where do you think you are going?”   

Before Sebastian could even react, Cooper was standing between him and his father. “He’s leaving… So you better get out of our way... Now.” 

Cooper’s tone was firm and imposing, which did not sit well with Sebastian’s father at all. He frowned and gave Cooper a dismissing once over before looking at Sebastian again. 

“Sebastian… What’s this? Who is this guy?” 

“It’s none of your business.” 

“Yes, it actually _is_ my business… You’re my son." 

“Since when do you care?” Sebastian spat back, which angered his father. He turned to look at Cooper for a split second before looking at Sebastian again, and then squinted his eyes. 

“You’re a fag, aren’t you?” He was staring at Cooper now, disgust and anger slowly filling his eyes. 

“Are you screwing around with this guy, Sebastian? Is that it? Is he your _boyfriend_?" The spiteful way Sebastian’s father said the word 'boyfriend' just made Cooper’s blood boil. He could tell just how disgusted the man was with the idea of Sebastian being gay. It was awful and infuriating at the same time, and it somehow made Cooper snap. 

“It’s none of your business, alright? Now get out of our way, cause we’re leaving!” Cooper said, almost getting in the man’s face. Sebastian’s father was visibly livid, but before anything else could happen, Sebastian just stormed out of the house, pushing his dad on his way out and almost making him stumble backwards. Cooper was shocked, but Sebastian was quickly walking away from them so he took the chance and just rushed after him, pulling the heavy suitcase with him. 

“Sebastian wait!” His father yelled after him, but Sebastian didn’t stop, he walked fast without even looking back. Cooper rushed after him, occasionally looking over his shoulder to see if Sebastian’s father was going after them, but he wasn’t. He just stood by the door, gaping in shock as Cooper and Sebastian got into the car and drove away. 

Cooper had an awful and uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, his heart was beating fast and his mind was reeling. The moment had been awkward and stressful as hell, but he was glad that at least things hadn't turned violent. With Sebastian’s father’s history, Cooper wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Cooper was so focused on his own conflicting thoughts that he hadn't noticed Sebastian was shaking. 

“Are you alright?”  

Sebastian didn’t reply. He just shook his head as he looked at the rearview mirror. 

“He is following us.” 

“What?” 

“My dad… The fucking crazy bastard is following us!” 

Cooper turned to look at his mirror and realized that it was true. Sebastian’s father was driving right behind them. _What the fuck?_ Cooper sped up and took a turn to the left, exiting the street they were driving in. He couldn’t believe Sebastian’s father was really following them, but he was. Each turn Cooper took, Sebastian’s father took as well.  That man was insane and dangerous, and Cooper was starting to freak out.  

“Where are we going?” Sebastian asked, shaking Cooper out of his thoughts. 

“Well, we were going to my place… But now I don’t know.” 

“You should just stop.” 

“Stop?" 

“Yes, stop the car.” Sebastian said, breathing in. 

“What? Why?” 

“Because my dad is following us and he won’t stop until we do, and unless you want my dad knowing where you live, then stop the car right now.” 

Cooper didn’t want to stop the car, but he also didn’t want that crazy and dangerous man to follow him all the way to his apartment, so he knew he had to make a choice. He drove for another few blocks until he found a place he could stop the car safely in. He ended up pulling over and parking right across the street from a Whole Foods. The place was public enough, and Cooper just hoped Sebastian’s father would be wise enough to not make a scene there. 

It was probably just wishful thinking though; Cooper knew that. 

As soon as Cooper parked the car, he realized Sebastian’s father did too. Cooper hadn’t even killed the engine when Sebastian opened the door and sprung out of the car. 

“Sebastian, wait!” Cooper didn’t even have time to properly lock his car before he was going after Sebastian, who had ran up to his father’s car and was now yelling at him. Cooper thought Sebastian’s dad would be the one making a scene, but it turned out to be the other way around. Sebastian was sick of his dad and was now attacking him, pushing him, yelling profanities, and drawing the attention of several people in the Whole Food’s parking lot. 

“Why are you following us? What the fuck is wrong with you? Leave me alone!” Sebastian yelled at his dad, pushing him and trying to punch him. Cooper ran towards them and he was sure Sebastian’s dad was going to hit him, but surprisingly… he didn’t. Sebastian was pushing him, but the man was not pushing him back. He was lifting his hands up in surrender, trying to calm his son down. 

“Sebastian… stop! God dammit, Sebastian!”  

Sebastian pushed his father one more time but this time his dad grabbed him by the arm and the collar of his shirt. “I said stop! You little shit!”  

Right then, Cooper finally got to where they were and he stepped between them, pushing them aside so they would let go of each other. Sebastian was a mess, eyes manic and shining with unshed tears. His father, on the other hand, was breathing heavily and looking at Sebastian like he wanted to kill him, but at the same time Cooper could tell the guy was holding back. 

“You need to stay the hell away from him… Do you understand?” Cooper yelled at the man, standing in front of Sebastian, to block him from his father’s view. 

“You can’t tell me what to do, you fucking faggot!” Sebastian’s father screamed, pushing him so hard that Cooper almost fell back. In that moment, something inside Cooper snapped, and he didn’t even hesitate as he charged against the older man, punching him in the face, hard. 

Sebastian’s father fell against the side of his car and grabbed his face while cursing intelligibly. 

“You fucking… Son of a bitch!” When the man removed his hand from his mouth, there was blood in it. Cooper was ready to just punch him again if he tried anything, but he didn’t. He just stood up on shaky legs and wiped his hand on his shirt, shaking his head as he tried to catch his breath. Cooper couldn’t even feel good about finally getting the change to punch the bastard because he was so stressed, thinking about what could happen next. 

"I need to talk to my son, so get the fuck out of our way…” The man spat out, trying to make eye contact with Sebastian. "Sebastian, look… We need to talk; we need to figure things out, okay? You and me… Just give me a second, alright?” 

“What the hell are you even talking about?” Sebastian yelled. “We have nothing to talk about!" 

Things clicked into place in Cooper’s head right in that moment… And he understood what was going on. 

“You piece of shit.” He said bluntly. “You want to talk to Sebastian just so he won’t press charges against you… Don’t you?” 

Sebastian frowned, confused… looking at Cooper and then at his dad. After a few silent seconds, he let out a bitter laugh, taking a few steps back and shaking his head in complete disbelief. When he looked at his father, he realized Cooper was right. His dad knew that now that the police found about what a violent and an abusive asshole he was, that he was at a disadvantage. He knew that Sebastian could testify against him, and that he had the power to sink him, and that was the only reason why he wanted to ‘talk’ and ‘figure things out’. He didn’t care about Sebastian, or about his mother, he only cared about his precious reputation and about what people would say.  

That realization made Sebastian want to throw up. Cooper could see it in his eyes… Where a few minutes ago Sebastian had looked like he was going to cry, right now he just looked disgusted, like he couldn’t believe what was happening. Sebastian’s father looked defeated and panicked, as he talked, but Sebastian had no sympathy for him, and neither did Cooper. 

“You’re a coward, and an asshole… And you’re fucked!” Sebastian said, staring right into his father's eyes. “You might think you can control and manipulate mom, but you can’t manipulate me. I am going to tell the police everything you’ve done… Everything!” 

Sebastian’s father didn’t say anything, but Cooper could see in his eyes how the anger was starting to take over him. He could tell Sebastian’s words were pissing him off, and that things were going to get ugly if they didn’t leave fast. 

“We’re going to go now… And you’re going to stay right here, or I’m going to kick your ass! Do you understand?” Cooper yelled, pointing his finger at the man as threateningly as he could. “And if you follow us... We _will_ call the police. So back the fuck off!" 

Cooper turned around and put his hand on the small of Sebastian’s back, guiding him back to the car. Sebastian looked over his shoulder one last time to look at his defeated father before getting into Cooper’s car. This time, when they drove away, Sebastian’s father didn’t follow them. 

The ride to Cooper’s apartment was silent, and Cooper could tell Sebastian was upset. He looked nervous too… Sebastian kept wiping his palms over his jeans and staring out the window. It seemed like he was still worried about his father following them or something.  

“Are you okay?” He asked, but Sebastian didn’t reply. He didn’t even look at Cooper. He just shook his head and heaved a sigh. 

“He’s not following us anymore… It’s okay. You’re safe now.” Cooper had meant to calm Sebastian down, but apparently his words struck a nerve, because Sebastian started ranting. 

“Safe? Oh, that’s a good one. I’ll never be safe… I’ll never be okay. I’m actually fucked… Big time.” 

Right then, they arrived at Cooper’s apartment building. As soon as Cooper turned off the car, Sebastian got out. Strangely, Cooper felt more wary now than how he felt when they were back at Sebastian's house. Sebastian was jumpy and upset, and Cooper had no idea of how to behave around him. Sebastian got out of the car and just stood beside it, resting his back against the door and looking around at anything else but Cooper. 

Cooper stood right beside him, but Sebastian just looked down, avoiding him like he wasn’t even there. After it was clear that Sebastian wasn’t going to say anything, Cooper walked to the back of his car to take Sebastian’s suitcase out of the trunk. 

“Come on, let’s go upstairs.” Cooper said tentatively. Sebastian didn’t say anything, but at least he finally looked at him. Cooper could tell that Sebastian didn’t really want to be there with him, and that he was hesitating, but after a few silent seconds he finally gave in. 

“Yeah… I need something to drink.” He said, walking past Cooper and towards the apartment building. 

To say things were awkward would be an understatement. When they got to Cooper’s apartment, Sebastian just walked around silently, looking around like it was the first time he was in there. Cooper put down Sebastian’s suitcase by the couch and then walked towards the kitchen. He opened the fridge to see if he had anything for Sebastian to drink. He didn’t hear Sebastian’s approaching footsteps but when he turned around, he realized Sebastian was standing right behind him. 

“I have cold water, orange juice and coke… What do you-?” Cooper stopped midway through his sentence when he saw Sebastian staring at him with a raised eyebrow. 

“Really Cooper?" 

“You uh… You said you wanted something to drink...” Cooper stuttered, holding a jug with cold water in his hands. Sebastian looked down at the jug skeptically.  

“I meant booze.” 

“But… Can you even drink alcohol right now? I mean, should you? You’re on medication…” 

“Pain pills are hardly  _medication_ , Cooper… Besides, they’re not even working for shit. My head is killing me, so I might as well drink something that does a better job than those stupid pills.” Sebastian said dismissively as he turned and walked towards the pantry where he knew Cooper kept the alcohol. He took out a bottle of whisky and grabbed a glass from the cupboard. He poured himself a drink and then started gulping it down, grimacing as he swallowed. Cooper sighed, putting the jug back into the fridge. He figured it was useless to try to argue with Sebastian in that moment, unless he wanted to upset him even more, which he definitely didn’t. 

“You want some ice for that?” Cooper asked, trying to sound casual and not at all worried because of how fast Sebastian was emptying the content of the glass. Sebastian looked at his almost empty glass and then looked at Cooper. 

“Yeah, why not.” 

Cooper walked back to the fridge to get the ice and when he turned around Sebastian was already pouring himself another glass. 

“Hey… Take it easy.” Cooper said, but Sebastian ignored him. He didn’t even ask Cooper if he wanted some, he was too focused drinking it up. Cooper had never seen Sebastian drink like this, and he was starting go get worried. 

“Seb…” Cooper said, putting his hand over Sebastian’s arm, hoping to stop him from pouring himself a third glass.  

“What?” 

“Slow down… Or you’ll make yourself sick.” 

“Make myself sick?” Sebastian snorted, taking another sip from his glass. “My dad already took care of that… In case you didn’t notice.” 

Sebastian took his now empty glass and the bottle of whisky, and walked over to the living room. He dropped down on the couch and filled his glass again. Cooper grabbed a glass from the kitchen and followed him. He put the ice bucket over the table, putting some inside his glass and some in Sebastian’s before daring to speak again. 

“Are you hungry? We could order something… I know I’m getting kind of hungry.” Cooper tried to change the subject, figuring it might help Sebastian focus on something else, but it didn’t seem to quite work. All Sebastian even said to him was, “I’m not hungry” while slowly drinking from his glass and staring blankly at the wall. 

Cooper actually  _was_  getting kind of hungry so he decided to order Chinese food. He figured once the food got there, Sebastian would eat some. It was not good for him to drink so much this early in the day, and before even getting a decent lunch.  

“What’s on your mind?”  

“Too many things.” Sebastian said, smiling sadly as he sipped from his glass. Sebastian just sat on the couch looking at the floor. It was awkward in a weird way, though Cooper could tell this time Sebastian’s uneasiness was not because of him, but because of what had happened with his father. 

“Everything is just such a mess right now… It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Sebastian said, finally looking up at Cooper, who didn’t quite know what to say, so he just offered the best smile he could muster. 

“I was supposed to graduate and go to college, and that would be it. I would finally leave my parents and never have to deal with them again. But now… Everything is fucked.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“You know that stunt my dad pulled earlier? That bullshit about trying to talk to me and fix things? I can tell that it’s bullshit but he is definitely going to pull the same one on my mom, and she is going to fall for it. She is probably not going to press charges against him… She is going to get back with him and forget all about this… But I won’t. If my mom doesn’t press charges against my dad, I will. I am not going to stop until I see him ruined, until I see him fucked! Even if I fuck myself over in the process as well.” 

“Don’t say that… You will be doing what is right. Your dad deserves to pay for what he’s done to you. You can’t let him get away with it.” 

“I know… But if I do that... _When_ I do it… It means I will cut myself off from my family forever… and I’ll be fucked. I can probably stay at Dalton for the remaining of the school cycle, but then that’s it. I won’t have a place to stay… Nowhere to live… and I won’t be able to go to college, because who is going to pay for it? My parents are definitely not. So after I’m done with school, I have no idea what I’m going to do.” 

“Sebastian, I’m sure your mom will stand by you. Your father put her in the hospital… How would she let that pass?" 

Sebastian smiled bitterly. “My mom always takes my father’s side, Cooper, that’s just the way things are. My dad is a sick son of a bitch, but he is not stupid. He knows how to manipulate her so she’ll do whatever he wants. She will take his side and forget about me. My dad doesn't care either… He had never cared to even look at me after he hit me before… Never! He just avoided me, and pretended nothing ever happened. The only reason he went after me and tried to get us to _talk_  this time is because he was arrested and he doesn’t want me to talk to the police.” 

Cooper couldn’t believe the things Sebastian was saying. No matter how crazy his dad was, surely Sebastian’s mom would see reason and finally leave her husband. She had to take her son’s side instead... _Right?_ Apparently, Sebastian was convinced that was never going to happen. He went on and on, ranting about how screwed he was, and he kept drinking until Cooper was sure he was going to make himself sick. Cooper wished he could say something to make Sebastian feel better. But he realized the only thing he could do was listen to him. 

When the food got there, Sebastian actually agreed to eat some, which made Cooper feel a little better. Because Sebastian finally stopped drinking, at least for the time it took him to eat a little. Because after that, he filled himself another glass and continued drinking.  

Cooper just pressed his lips into a tight smile as Sebastian continued ranting about his dad. He sat there with him, and listened to everything Sebastian had to say… Which was a lot. It was actually heart wrenching for Cooper to realize just how awful Sebastian’s home situation was. When they were together, Sebastian had opened up to him about some things, but not like this. 

Sebastian talked about his father, and all the awful things he’d done to him and his mother over the years. He talked about his older brother too, and how he was the one that had actually outed him to his parents after he’d seen him kissing another guy at school. It was overwhelming for Cooper to hear all of it… Sebastian was pouring his heart out to Cooper in a way he had never done before. But at the same time, Cooper knew Sebastian was drunk, and angry, and even scared… So he wondered if Sebastian was going to regret telling Cooper all these things once he sobered up… He probably would, unless Cooper could somehow contribute to making things better for him. But how could he do that? The most he could do was offer him to stay at his apartment once he graduated, and until he found somewhere to stay, but he didn’t know if Sebastian would want to. Things were still tense between them, after all. Cooper didn’t know where he stood with Sebastian in that moment, but he knew one thing… And that was that he had to make Sebastian stop drinking before he made himself sick.  

Cooper grabbed the bottle and got up from the couch, walking towards the kitchen. 

“Hey… What are you doing? I’m not done with that yet.” Sebastian protested, but Cooper put the bottle away and locked the cupboard with his key, and put it inside his pants. 

“Ugh, Coooooper…” Sebastian whined, resting his head against the couch and groaning. “What the hell are you doing?" 

“You need to stop drinking, Seb… Just, take a break, okay?” 

Sebastian looked at Cooper and scoffed, taking the last drink of his glass. “You can’t tell me what to do.” 

“I know… But you need to take it easy, you’re already pretty drunk.” 

“Drunk? Hardly.” Sebastian said, rolling his eyes and getting up from the couch, stumbling a little. He got up too fast and his head must have spinned, because he had to grab the armrest to keep himself steady, and ended up falling back on the couch after a second. 

Cooper walked back to the living room and stood by the couch, looking down at Sebastian and feeling a little uncertain about what to do. Sebastian was breathing slowly and rubbing his hands over his temples. 

“Are you okay?” 

Sebastian didn’t quite answer, he just groaned, running his hands over his face before trying to get up again. This time, he managed to stand up and stare at Cooper for a little while. His eyes were glassy and he had that look on his face that Cooper knew very well. It was the look of ‘I am drunk and about to pass out any second’. Cooper stared at him expectantly, expecting Sebastian to whine about getting more alcohol from him or something, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Sebastian smirked and then walked towards the door. 

“Where are you going?” 

“Out… just ouuut.” Sebastian sing-songed, opening the door and stumbling outside onto the hallway. Cooper went after him and grabbed him by the wrist before he could take another step further. 

“Hey wait, what do you mean you’re going out?” 

“I need some air… and some vodka maybe.” 

“Vodka? Don’t be ridiculous.” 

“I’m going to a bar… And you can’t stop me!” 

“What? It’s the middle of the afternoon, you can’t go to a bar." 

“I can go to scandals…" 

“Sebastian stop. ” Cooper tugged on Sebastian’s wrist to keep him from walking away, and Sebastian lost his balance, stumbling back into him. 

“Let me go!” 

“No.”

“Cooper, let go of me.” Sebastian was clumsily trying to get out of Cooper’s grasp, but he wasn’t really succeeding. Cooper knew how Sebastian was when he was drunk, and angry, but he wasn’t acting like he usually would. He seemed clumsy and sleepy, instead of angry and aggressive like Cooper thought he would be. 

“I need to get out of here… Let me go!” 

“No, you’re not on your right mind, you’re not going anywhere.” 

“I need to go to the hospital. I need to talk to my mom!” Sebastian said, trying to push Cooper away from him, but Cooper didn’t give in. He grabbed Sebastian by the arms and started pushing him back inside the apartment. 

“Let go of me… Go dammit Cooper! I need to go!" 

“I know, Sebastian, but you can’t go see her if you’re drunk.” Cooper felt like he was negotiating with a child throwing a tantrum. Except this child was a little unpredictable and capable of throwing a punch at him at any second. After struggling with him for what felt like forever, Cooper was finally able to get Sebastian back into the apartment. He pushed him down onto the couch and then locked the door. Sebastian had his eyes closed and was frowning as he rolled over and landed on the floor. 

“Oh fuck!” 

Cooper walked over to Sebastian and helped him get back on his feet. Cooper was on edge, almost expecting Sebastian to push him away and maybe slap him or punch him. But surprisingly, he didn’t. A few seconds later Cooper realized why.  

“I think I’m gonna throw up.” 

“Oh god!” 

They rushed to the bathroom and got there just in time for Sebastian to reach the toilet. Cooper sat in the edge of the tub while Sebastian emptied the contents of his stomach into the toilet, heaving violently and cursing. When Sebastian was finally done he just stayed there, hunched over the toilet, panting and cursing himself. 

“Fuck… This is disgusting… Ugh.” 

“Are you okay?” 

“I feel like I’m gonna die.” 

“I’ll get you a glass of water. I'll be right back…” Cooper said, rushing to the kitchen. When he came back, he expected Sebastian to be up again, but he was right where Cooper left him, hunched over the toilet with his eyes closed, and Cooper wondered if it was possible that he had fallen asleep. 

“Seb?” Cooper asked, putting his hand on Sebastian’s shoulder. 

“Hmm?” Sebastian just hummed, but he stayed right where he was. 

“I brought you water, sit up so you can take a drink.” 

“I can’t… I feel like I’m gonna be sick again.” 

“Okay… Then just… take your time.” 

Cooper stayed with Sebastian for almost twenty minutes, sitting in the bathroom floor until Sebastian had nothing more to throw up. Cooper rubbed his back and didn’t leave his side. The plus side of Sebastian throwing up, was that he sobered up… at least a bit, and so when he finally felt well enough to sit up, he was a little bit more clear headed. Cooper helped him to get on his feet and handed him a toothbrush. Sebastian stared at it for a while before taking it from Cooper’s hand and brushing his teeth with it. It wasn’t just some spare toothbrush; it was Sebastian’s. He used to spend so much time at Cooper’s apartment that he had his own toothbrush and other toiletries, Cooper hadn’t thrown them away even though Sebastian hadn’t been in his apartment for a long time now. 

After Sebastian was done brushing his teeth, Cooper handed him the glass of water and helped him drink from it. Sebastian’s face was flushed and his hair was a mess. His eyes were glassy and full of unshed tears, and his expression was a mixture of disappointment and despair. 

“Feel better?” Cooper asked with a soft smile. Sebastian just nodded, not quite being able to hold Cooper’s gaze for long. 

“You need to lay down, come on… Let’s go.”  

Cooper guided Sebastian to his bedroom and closed the curtains so the light wouldn’t bother him. He then went to the kitchen to get him some more water to drink, and an aspirin. When Cooper returned to his bedroom, he found Sebastian sitting in the bed, looking down at the carpeted floor. Cooper put the glass of water and aspirin on the bedside table and then sat down right next to him. He put his hand on the back of Sebastian’s necke softly, he was about to tell him to lay down when Sebastian spoke. 

“He’s going to get to her first.” 

“Who?” 

“My dad… He is going to get to my mom… And she’s gonna leave me behind.” Sebastian sighed, like it was a fact that that was what was going to happen. But Cooper refused to believe that. 

“She won’t… Seb, I’m sure she won’t.” Cooper said, throwing his arm over Sebastian’s shoulders and pulling him closer. Sebastian rested his head on Cooper’s chest and sighed. Cooper’s heart ached to just be able to lift Sebastian’s chin up and kiss him, but he knew he shouldn’t. He wanted to support Sebastian and be there for him; so he needed to keep a safe distance, it was for the best. 

“Do you want to lay down? You should get some sleep, I brought you an aspirin, it will help.” 

“Thanks.” Sebastian whispered, sitting up to take the aspirin and then slowly laying back on the bed. Almost on instinct, Cooper reached down and took off Sebastian’s shoes. Sebastian just stared at Cooper as he removed them and put them beside the bed. Cooper could feel his cheeks burning up and was glad that he had closed the curtains, so Sebastian wouldn't notice. 

“Sleep now.” Cooper said softly. 

“What about you?” 

“I think I’ll take a nap too… I’ll be right outside.” 

“But you hate sleeping on the couch.”  

Sebastian was right. Cooper hated it because his back was always sore whenever he fell asleep there. But what was the alternative? 

Sebastian scooted over to the other side of the bed and then turned around. It was a clear invitation for Cooper to lay down with him, so he did. Cooper removed his shoes and slowly laid down on the bed, resting on his left side so he was facing Sebastian. 

They stared at each other in the dim light of the room, and no words were exchanged for several minutes that almost felt like hours. Cooper could tell Sebastian wanted to say something, and he did too, but it was like neither of them dared to speak up, for fear of ruining the moment. It felt so familiar to be in the same bed, but at the same time it felt so strange to be so far away from each other, not speaking and not touching at all. Sebastian’s hand was spread on the bed right in front of him and Cooper wanted nothing more than to reach for it, but he didn’t.  

A few minutes later, Sebastian closed his eyes and after a while Cooper could tell he had fallen asleep. Not long after that, Cooper closed his own eyes too and tried to get some rest. However, taking a nap proved to be impossible for Cooper because he couldn’t turn off his brain for long enough to truly fall asleep. He had so many things running through his mind that he just couldn’t. He wanted to get out of bed and call agent Gallamore, but he didn’t want to wake Sebastian up, so he didn’t. Eventually, he managed to fall asleep. 

Cooper didn’t know for how long he was asleep, but he was woken up by the faint sound of Sebastian sniffling beside him. When he opened his eyes, the room was completely dark; darker than it had been when they first laid down to sleep. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, Cooper could see Sebastian’s eyes open, staring at him.  

“You’re awake.” 

Sebastian didn't respond, he just nodded silently, pulling his hand up to his face and wiping his eyes. Was he crying? It was hard for Cooper to tell. When Sebastian put his hand over the bed again, Cooper didn’t think twice before reaching for it. Cooper could feel the moisture from Sebastian’s tears in the palm of his hand as he squeezed it gently. He didn’t know what to say or what to do, but some thing was for certain, and that was that Cooper was going to be there for Sebastian as long as he would let him. When Sebastian squeezed his hand back, Cooper couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips. 

They stayed there, holding hands in the bed for a while, not saying or doing anything else. But just that innocent touch was enough for Cooper’s heart to swell with all sorts of different emotions. Fondness, hope, uncertainty, longing. It all came back at once and if Sebastian’s expression was any indication, he must have been experiencing those same emotions himself. 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Tired… and confused.” Sebastian admitted, “I just don’t know what I’m gonna do, you know?” 

“It’s okay… We'll figure it out.” 

They both smiled, and after a long silent pause, Sebastian asked something that made Cooper’s heart stop. 

“When you said you loved me… Did you mean it?” 

Cooper sighed nostalgically, squeezing Sebastian’s hand a little tighter. He never expected Sebastian to ask him that right now, but he knew the answer: “I did… and I still do.” 

Sebastian looked at their hands clasped together in front of them and sighed. Cooper was almost holding his breath, waiting for Sebastian to say something…  _anything._ But he just remained silent and deep in thought. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a sound coming from the living room. It was Sebastian’s phone that was ringing. Cooper sat up and went to get it. When he saw the screen, he realized who was calling. 

“It’s your mom.” He said, handing Sebastian his phone and then reaching for the lamp on his nightstand, turning it on.  

Sebastian sat up and held the phone, looking uncertain about whether to answer or not. 

“Aren’t you gonna answer?” Cooper asked, sitting beside him and staring at him expectantly. 

Sebastian shook his head and put the phone away. But then it started ringing again. 

“Seb… Pick up. It might be important.” 

Sebastian sighed and answered the phone hesitantly. “Mom?" 

Cooper was sitting so close to Sebastian that he could hear little bits and pieces of what his mother was saying. He couldn’t make up everything she was saying, but he caught the most important parts, and his heart was beating with anticipation. Sebastian’s several sighs of relief were a good sign, and he was smiling too. So Cooper knew whatever his mother was telling him had to be positive… and that gave him hope.

“It’s okay mom… I’m okay. Don’t worry… Yeah, I’m staying over at a friend’s house. I will be there tomorrow, okay.” 

When Sebastian finally hung up, he was smiling, albeit a little sadly. 

“What happened? What did she say?” Cooper asked nervously. 

“My mom just filed for a restraining order against my dad…” Sebastian didn’t even get to finish his sentence before Cooper was pulling him into a tight hug. Sebastian smiled and laughed against Cooper’s neck, holding onto him tightly. 

“Oh Sebastian… That’s amazing… that’s so great.” Cooper said before letting go a little so Sebastian could finish telling him about the call. “I’m sorry… What else did she say?"

Sebastian was smiling and even shaking a little. “Well… It will be a couple of days until my dad is served but… She is doing it… She is pressing charges. I just can’t believe it… She is really doing this.” 

Cooper felt so glad and relieved that he just leaned in and kissed Sebastian hard on the lips without even thinking. When he realized what he had done, he let go and just stared at Sebastian, bracing himself for a reaction, but Sebastian immediately pulled him back in, kissing him deeply and running his hands through Cooper’s hair to keep him close. There were tears and smiles shared through that kiss, and suddenly everything that had happened between them seemed to vanish. 

Cooper knew there were still a lot of things he needed to talk about with Sebastian, but in that moment, none of them mattered. They would figure things out later. Right now, the only thing that mattered was that Sebastian still had his mom, and that Cooper had him.

 

 

 

 

 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part of this chapter is told from Sebastian's mother's POV. The text in italics represents a flashback.

Violet tossed and turned in bed, trying to get the rest that her doctor had emphasized she needed to get. But she couldn't. The dull hospital room was doing nothing to calm her anxiety. It was too bright, too cold, and too empty... Not even an hour had passed since Sebastian had been there, and his absence hurt more than the wounds in her face did.

" _How are you feeling mom?"_

" _I'm fine, Sebastian… As fine as I can be, that is." She tried to smile in an attempt to shake her uneasiness away, but didn't quite manage to do it. "The doctor says it's going to take a while for the swelling to go down. I must look hideous."_

" _Don't even think about that." Sebastian said with a small smile, and she knew he was right. It was silly to worry about looks when they had so many other things to worry about, but she didn't want to think about those things. It was too painful, too complicated, and too intimidating._

" _Do you know when you're getting discharged?"_

"Tomorrow."

_Sebastian just nodded, looking down at his hands. She could see the side of his face bruised up and the sight of it brought back awful memories from the previous night, but she didn't dare to ask how Sebastian was feeling. She felt like she had no right._

_She didn't know what to say. So she just stared down at her own hands, fidgeting with the plastic wristband she got and avoiding the inevitable conversation that was about to come up with her son. She had gotten the phone call just minutes before Sebastian had arrived. She had to tell him about it... But she didn't know how. The minutes passed by and they both remained awkwardly quiet until Sebastian finally broke the silence._

" _Mom… what are we going to do?"_

_Sebastian's question startled Violet, even though she knew it was coming._

_"Do?"_

_"About what happened... About dad... Have you thought about it?"_

" _W-what do you mean?"_

_"You know he was arrested? He is in jail now... But what is going to happen next?"_

_She could feel herself shaking under the sheets, her heart speeding up as she saw Sebastian's pleading eyes. She knew he wouldn't like what she had to say, but she had to tell him anyway._

_"Arthur called..." She started, and Sebastian frowned, waiting for her to finish her sentence. But she was so nervous that she felt like the words got stuck in her throat. Sebastian knew who Arthur was. He knew he was the family lawyer and a long time friend of his parents._

_"Mom..."_

_"Sebastian... Arthur told me that... H-he is getting Robert out of jail."_

_"W-what?! How?"_

_"He is paying the bail... He is getting him out, at noon today."_

_"Are you serious?!" Sebastian yelled, getting up from the chair and pacing around the room. "He can't do that! Mom... You can't let him do that!"_

_Violet heaved a sigh and wrapped her arms around her chest, trying to hold herself together. "Sebastian... There's nothing we can do..." She said, feeling defeated._

_"There has to be! You have to press charges... You have to get him locked up for good!"_

_Sebastian was angry, as he had every right to be. She knew that. But the thought of pressing charges and taking her own husband to court was just too scary to even consider. How would she even do that? Who would represent her? Arthur would take Robert's side without a doubt, and the media frenzy that would unravel if anyone ever found out about it would ruin their family's reputation forever. She felt like her back was against the wall, and the way Sebastian was looking at her made her want to dig a hole in the ground and bury herself in it._

_"It's n-not... Things are not that simple... Sebastian."_

_"It actually is pretty simple, mom... You just get on the phone, and talk to agent Gallamore. She can help us."_

_Sebastian took a card out of his pocket and handed it to her. It was Linda Gallamore's contact information. It was a simple piece of paper but she felt like it as heavy as a brick in her hand. Could she really call this woman and go against her own husband? She stared down at the card and then shook her head nervously._

_"Sebastian... We should talk to your father before doing any-"_

" _Oh you have to be kidding me… Mom-"_

" _Sebastian, listen to me!" She cut him off, trying to keep her voice firm but not quite managing to do it. "We have to talk to him first! With everything that happened… I'm sure we can-"_

" _We can what?!"_

" _Talk to him! I don't know Sebastian… Maybe he can see reason, if we talk to him… Maybe he can ch-"_

_"Maybe he can change?" Sebastian interrupted her, voice harsh and bitter. "Is that what you were going to say? Please mother... Don't insult my intelligence. You know he will never change! How can you even say that with a straight face? Jesus Christ!"_

_"Sebastian please calm down." She tried to sound firm but her voice came out strangled._

_"I can't calm down! How can you be okay with this? He bashed my head in with a fucking ashtray... He could have killed me! He hit you too! He broke your nose... He put you in the hospital! And you know he will do it again! Is that how you want to live your life mom, really? Cause I don't…" Sebastian was pacing back and forth, seething with anger. "If you want to stay with him then fine... Do whatever you want. But don't expect me to do the same... I'm sick of this!"_

_Sebastian's words hurt like a stab in the heart. Mostly because she knew they were true. She had unwillingly been an accomplice in her husband's abusive ways for years. She hadn't realized she was crying until she felt a tear slide down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away as she saw Sebastian walk towards the door._

_"Honey..." Sebastian stopped right at the door. When he turned to look back at her though, he didn't look angry anymore. Sebastian just looked disappointed._

_"You know mom, I know you don't care much about me... But I thought you would at least care about yourself."_

_When Sebastian walked out the door, she broke down and started crying inconsolably. She cried so hard that her nose started bleeding and she had to call a nurse. She ached all over, but no medicine could make her feel better. Painkillers wouldn't take her anguish away. They couldn't numb away the stress, or take away the feeling of despair. She felt so lost about what to do. Her life was a mess and it was all her fault. She had let her husband do whatever he wanted for too long. Enabling his violent behavior by staying silent, lying to people about what was going on, and always taking her husband's side. Letting her youngest son take the worse of it, and being too scared to do anything to stop it._

She fell asleep after what felt like hours of crying, and when she woke up, three hours had gone by. The light from the windows hurt her eyes. Her mouth felt dry as sandpaper and her arms felt heavy as she tried to sit up. She couldn't breathe in through her nose because of the swelling and the padding.

Her whole body hurt when she got out of bed, and as he walked towards the bathroom. She turned on the light and grabbed the towel from the metal bar beside the sink, putting it over the mirror. She couldn't stand to look at herself… Not now and probably not ever.

She took a glass of water from the sink and brushed her teeth, hoping it would make her feel better. She wanted to take a shower too, but that meant she had to take the towel off the mirror, and she didn't want to do that.

Voilet grabbed her purse and walked back to the bed. She sat down and got out her wallet, hoping to put away Agent Gallamore's card but then something grabbed her attention. It was a photo that she kept in her wallet. A family picture that was taken almost ten years ago. Sebastian was only seven years old, and Robert Junior was eleven. She had her hair long at the time, and her husband Robert looked whole lot different than he did now. The years had not been kind to him, the stress of work and pressures had led him to alcohol and it had poisoned their home.

Deep down, Violet knew that's why Robert Junior barely visited them anymore. He had been off in Boston for college for three years now and had only come back home to visit twice. They didn't talk much either, but whenever he called her he barely asked about his father. And Robert had never been as awful to him as he had been to Sebastian.

How had things become so bad? How did she let this happen? But most importantly, Violet was asking herself how could she fix things now? She felt frustrated, confused and powerless. Robert was going to be bailed out of jail, and that meant that she had to make a choice. She only had one more day before getting released from the hospital. What was she going to do then?

She looked at the picture and knew the choice was clear. Her sons, it had to be them. She had to make up for the things she had allowed to happen for so many years. She couldn't let things go back to the way they were. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did.

She held the card with one hand, and her phone with the other. She only had to dial the number… it was simple, yet she felt like her hand was frozen and stuck. Panic started rising through her as she unlocked her screen. She was about to push Agent Gallamore's digits in when her phone started ringing, making her almost jump out of her skin.

It was an unknown number, and Violet wasn't sure if she should answer it or not. What if Robert was calling? What would she do? But it could also be Sebastian, she couldn't know. So she decided to answer.

"Hello?"

" _Mrs. Smythe, this is Linda Gallamore."_

Violet hadn't even realized she was holding her breath until she heard those words and was finally able to breathe. "Oh… Agent Gallamore… Oh thank goodness."

" _Mrs. Smythe, are you okay? You sound agitated."_

"I'm fine… I'm fine. I was just about to call you, actually. Sebastian gave me your number and-"

 _"You're still at the hospital, correct?"_ Agent Gallamore sounded like she was in a hurry.  _"Is your son with you right now ma'am?"_

"Yes… I mean, I'm still in the hospital but Sebastian is not here..."

" _Do you know where he is?"_

"Uh... " Violet realized she had no idea where Sebastian was. "No… I don't know, I think-"

" _Mrs. Smythe… I'm calling you because I've been informed that your husband has been bailed out of jail. "_

"Yes... I know."

" _You do?"_

"Yes… I… I got a call from his lawyer."

" _I see…"_  Agent Gallamore said, her voice suddenly stern.  _"Have you talked to your husband? Has he contacted you?"_

"No… Not yet."

" _Mrs. Smythe, the reason for my call is because I need to know what you plan on doing about the situation regarding your husband. He is a threat to you and your son, but we can't do anything unless you decide to press charges against him… However, considering Sebastian is a minor, it is my responsibility as an agent for the state to guarantee his well-being. Considering the situation, and the previous incidents of assault that Sebastian told us about, we can't allow Sebastian to continue living in the same household as him... "_

Agent Gallamore's voice was stern, and Violet breathed in, bracing herself as she took in her words. She had been so self involved in her own thoughts and stress that she hadn't realized what this whole situation could mean for Sebastian. Agent Gallamore was right. If she didn't press charges against Robert, the state would take Sebastian away from them, and probably put him in a foster home or something worse. Suddenly, any doubts she had just vanished and she was more certain than ever about what she had to do.

"Um… Yes, I understand. I was actually about to call you, as I was saying earlier… I…" her voice was shaky, but she managed to stay firm on her resolve. "We need your help, I don't really know what to do… But I want to press charges. I need to keep Sebastian safe… I want to keep us both away from Robert."

" _I am really glad to hear that, Mrs. Smythe."_

Sebastian had been right, Agent Gallamore was more than helpful and supportive, and after a long call that lasted almost twenty minutes, Violet had a new resolve. It wasn't going to be easy. Agent Gallamore had warned her that much, but she knew it was the right thing to do, so she was determined to get it done.

She was going to press charges against her husband, she was getting a restraining order too. Her heart was beating fast just thinking about everything that was about to happen. But she wasn't going to back down. She needed to do this… It was long overdue. She needed to put her safety and Sebastian's first.

 _Sebastian._  She needed to call him. Agent Gallamore told her that she needed to make sure that Sebastian stayed away from his father until the restraining order was effective. So with shaky fingers, she dialed Sebastian's number, hoping with all her heart that he would pick up. The phone rang and rang, and just when she was about to hang up, Sebastian picked up.

" _Mom?"_

"Sebastian… Thank goodness. Honey, I am so sorry for what I said earlier today. I just want you to know that I realized you're right… I just got off the phone with agent Gallamore, she is going to help me get a restraining order against your father."

Sebastian sighed at the other end of the line.

"It's going to take a couple of days for it to be in effect though… Where are you? I don't want you to see your father, please Sebastian you need to stay away from him, you need to be safe."

" _It's okay mom… I'm okay. Don't worry…"_

"You can't go back to the house Sebastian, your father might be there and-"

" _Yeah, I'm staying over at friend's house."_

Relief washed over her. She couldn't fathom Robert bumping into Sebastian alone in the house. "Oh okay, good. That's good, Sebastian… I am not sure what is going to happen, but I want you to know that things will not be the same. I won't let them be the same." Her voice was shaking with emotion and nerves, but she knew that she had to keep her resolve, not only for her but for Sebastian's sake as well.

"When I leave the hospital tomorrow... We will find somewhere else to live… We can go to a hotel in the meantime. Will you come pick me up... Please?"

"I will be there tomorrow…"

"Thanks honey."

"Okay mom."

When she hung up, her chest felt lighter than it had in years. She was still scared, but she knew she had made the right choice. She just had to believe that and that no matter how hard things would get, her life was going to change for the better.

...

Cooper wasn't sure what had possessed him to kiss Sebastian when he had. Cooper had just been so happy to find out that Sebastian's mother was finally taking her husband to justice that he couldn't stop himself. It was an impulse, and an impulse that Sebastian had reciprocated immediately.

Kissing had always been so easy for them. Falling into the rhythm of their lips brushing together was like second nature. It felt so good.. it was amazing.  _Sebastian was amazing._  Cooper could just kiss him for hours. The problem was, that they never stopped at only kissing, and this time was no different. After a few minutes of desperate kisses, Sebastian climbed on Cooper's lap and soon after he pushed him back into the bed, laying on top of him and kissing him eagerly while Cooper's hands ran up and down his back, going back and forth until they landed on Sebastian's ass.

The feeling of Sebastian's body on top of his made Cooper dizzy with arousal, but in the back of his mind he knew he couldn't just let this go any further. It wasn't right.

"Wait… Sebastian… wait."

Sebastian paid no mind to Cooper's protests as he continued trailing kisses along Cooper's jaw and then started going down his neck.

"Stop… We shouldn't be doing this... We can't-"

"Yes we can." Sebastian said, still not stopping his ministrations on Cooper's neck.

"Seb... We need to talk."

That immediately made Sebastian stop. He pulled back slowly, still sitting on top of Cooper. "Talk? About what?"

Cooper frowned, realizing Sebastian was suddenly a little defensive. Sebastian  _knew_  what they had to talk about. Why was he even asking?

"We need to talk about… us. You know, about everything that happened."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and huffed. He then looked down at Cooper and shook his head.

"I don't really feel like talking." He said, leaning down until his face was just inches away from Cooper. His crotch sliding down on Cooper's and clearly indicating what he wanted to do instead. He didn't kiss Cooper again though, Sebastian just stared at him… almost taunting him. But Cooper knew that he had to stand his ground.

"We shouldn't… You know we need to talk." Cooper said, putting his hands around Sebastian's shoulders and giving them a little push. Sebastian immediately backed away, as if Cooper had shoved him off of him… Sebastian fell back on the pillows, and sighed in annoyance.

"Sebastian..." Cooper tried, turning on his side, but Sebastian ignored him, staring at the ceiling with his hands crossed over his chest. It was getting ridiculous.

"Come on, don't be like this."

"Don't be like what? I just don't really feel like talking right now…" Sebastian said, sitting up on the bed. He was going to get up but Cooper reached for his wrist and pulled him down.

"You were willing to have sex with me a second ago but you don't want to talk?"

"I don't."

"Sebastian… Please don't be like this." Cooper pleaded, but Sebastian just huffed. Cooper knew he had to push this though, because they had been dancing around each other and avoiding this talk for the whole day. It was a talk that was long overdue. Sebastian was closing himself up, so Cooper knew he had to be the one to open up and bring up the subject, no matter how painful it was going to be.

"You asked me if I meant it when I said that I love you… and I told you, I did.. and I still do." Cooper said, grabbing Sebastian by the shoulders so he could face him. "I meant it… So I need to know where we stand… I need to know if you…" If you still love me, his mind supplied, but he didn't dare to say it out loud. "I just want to know how you feel… about everything, about this… about me."

Sebastian just stared at him for a brief second before shaking his head and looking away.

"Sebastian… Please."

Sebastian just stared at him.

"Just answer me."

Cooper stared at Sebastian kept looking at the floor, at the wall, and then at him. Every silent second felt like hours to Cooper. He could tell Sebastian was struggling… He looked like he wanted to run for the door.

"I-… I honestly don't know what you want me to say Cooper."

"The truth…"

"The truth? You really want the truth Cooper?" Sebastian shrugged Cooper's hands off of his shoulders, getting up from the bed. He took a few steps forward until he was standing near the bathroom door and then he looked down at Cooper who was still sitting on the edge of the bed.

"The truth is that what you and I had… What I  _thought_ we had… Felt a lot like love to me, and I had never felt that way about anyone before... But now? Now I don't even know how to feel. You can't seriously ask me that question, not after…. God, not after the shit you did, Cooper!" Sebastian didn't look angry, he looked like he was about to cry… "You can't… You can't really expect me to say I love you right now… I feel like I don't even know you."

Cooper sighed, feeling like a knife was being turned in his chest. He should have expected this, he should have known Sebastian didn't love him anymore. But somehow the kiss they'd shared a few minutes ago had made Cooper think it was still a possibility… even if distant. Now though, the reality of what he had done was staring at him in the face, with eyes full of tears.

"It's okay." Cooper whispered, trying hard to maintain his voice as firm as he could possibly manage without letting his desperation and heartbreak seep through. "I understand if you… If you don't… If you  _can't_  lov-"

"I did love you…" Sebastian interrupted him. He wiped his eyes and breathed harshly. "I loved you so much…. You have no idea."

Sebastian was talking in past tense, and even though Cooper didn't really expect it to be any different, it still hurt like hell. He bowed his head and breathed in, trying to keep himself together and staring at the ground until Sebastian spoke again.

"I just… I feel like the man I loved doesn't really exist… That he was just a character you created, a farce you put up just to… to do whatever it was that you wanted to do." Sebastian's voice cracked at the end of his sentence and made Cooper get up from the bed and rush over to where he was standing. He grabbed Sebastian's face and stared directly into his eyes.

"No… Sebastian, look at me." Cooper said, brushing a tear away from Sebastian's cheek with his thumb. "I'm real… and all the things we shared together are real too. I lied to you about my name and you are right to say that I just created a character to introduce myself to you, but all the stupid shit that I had planned to do after that… I never did any of it."

Sebastian was staring at him, frowning, but he wasn't pulling away. Cooper knew this would be his only chance to say everything he needed to say.

"I wasn't honest with you at first… But that was because I didn't know you. The truth is that I never planned to fall in love with you… But I did… Sebastian, I was an idiot, and I was selfish, and I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but you have to believe me when I tell you that all the things I shared with you are true, and my feelings for you were true… They still are."

Sebastian was staring at him intently and Cooper could tell there was a turmoil of conflicting thoughts and emotions running through him, but he didn't say anything. It was fine though, Cooper had said everything he wanted to say. So he was ready to let go.

"I know I've said this a thousand times, but I'm sorry." Cooper finally said, pressing a kiss to Sebastian's forehead before pulling away. He removed his hands from Sebastian's face and took a step back, staring at him expectantly. Sebastian's expression was unreadable. He looked sad, and a little confused… Cooper didn't know what to expect now, but he at least felt good about finally being able to say the all things that he wanted to say to Sebastian for so long.

They both remained silent for a few minutes that stretched a little too long. Sebastian seemed thoughtful for awhile, but he seemed more calm and collected than he had been before. They were both just standing across the room, staring at each other but not really doing anything. Until Sebastian moved.

He slowly walked across the room until he was standing right in front of Cooper. When Cooper realized how close Sebastian was, he felt a knot being tied and untied inside his chest. Sebastian's words however, caught him completely off guard.

"So… What now?" He asked, with a tight smile.

"Um… I honestly don't know." Cooper confessed, smiling nervously. "I guess we should start over… Can we do that?"

Sebastian just nodded. A tired smile spreading across his lips as Cooper stretched his hand in front of him.

"I'm Cooper Anderson, nice to meet you."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, but smiled and shook Cooper's hand nonetheless.

"Nice to meet you, Cooper. I'm Sebastian… Sebastian Smythe."

The small bubble of laughter that crept up on Cooper as Sebastian grabbed his hand was refreshing. For the first time since he had picked up Sebastian at the hospital the previous night, he felt at ease. Sebastian was looking at him in a way he hadn't in a long time. He seemed calm and open, and Cooper really couldn't ask for more. Sebastian was willing to give him a second chance and he was going to take it.

In all honesty, Cooper had all but given up any ideas of physical intimacy with Sebastian for the day, so when Sebastian took a step forward and kissed him, Cooper was more than pleasantly surprised.

The kiss was soft and slow, almost hesitant, but Cooper quickly melted into it, reaching to hold Sebastian's waist with his left hand, and pulling him towards him the slightest bit. Their right hands were still clasped together, but Sebastian soon let go of Cooper's hand so he could reach to grab the sides of Cooper's neck instead.

There was no rush or desperation like the previous time, and soon they found themselves laying on Cooper's bed, kissing and holding each other like they needed to make up for all the time they'd been apart. For a long while it was just kissing. Soft, wet and languid kissing, but soon enough the need and desire started to be too much to be kept at bay. Slowly, their shirts were discarded, and Cooper wasted no time tracing his mouth along every inch of Sebastian's neck and chest he could reach, reveling in the tiny gasps and moans that came out of Sebastian's mouth as he pulled on Cooper's hair. Their bodies fit together, falling into a familiar rhythm that was surely bound to end up in mindblowing sex. They both knew it, and craved it, which is why when Sebastian's phone started ringing, Cooper had to fight the urge to just grab the damn thing and smash it against the wall. Sebastian however, seemed to be fine with ignoring it altogether.

"Leave it." He whispered, pulling Cooper down so their lips could meet again, and Cooper was happy to oblige, kissing Sebastian passionately until the phone stopped ringing. Cooper had Sebastian pressed against the mattress, with their legs tangled together as they kissed and touched fervently. Unfortunately, Sebastian's phone started ringing again.

With a pained groan, Cooper broke off from kissing Sebastian and quickly reached the phone.

"It's an unknown number." He said, frowning. Sebastian seemed thoughtful for a second as he grabbed the phone from Cooper's hand. He was about to answer it but the call was missed before he could.

"Two missed calls. It could be your mom."

"No, my mom has her cell." Sebastian said, putting his phone in vibrate mode and tossing it to the side. Sebastian's hands traced down Cooper's torso until they landed on his belt and he started to unbuckle it. Cooper's already straining erection became almost painful as he watched Sebastian bite his lower lip in anticipation of what was coming.

"These need to come off…" Sebastian said, unbuttoning Cooper's jeans and pulling them down.

"Yeah yours too." Cooper said, almost falling off the bed as he pulled his jeans down as quickly as he could and then reaching to help Sebastian get out of his own. His heart and libido going a million miles an hour as he saw Sebastian fall back on the bed wearing nothing but his pair of black boxer briefs. Cooper had to take a moment to just appreciate the sight of Sebastian spread out on the bed before diving in and finally giving into his desire to ravish him.

The buzzing of his phone interrupted the moment, as it started ringing loudly from his discarded jeans' pocket.

Unwilling to have any more distractions, Cooper quickly retrieved his phone and was about to turn it off when he realized it was Blaine. Cooper stared at his brother's picture on the phone's screen for a while, debating on whether to dismiss the call or not. Blaine would notice if he had dismissed his call and would probably get annoyed, but Cooper had more important things to take care of.

"Who is it?" Sebastian asked, probably noticing Cooper's inner conflict.

Cooper just looked at Sebastian and shook his head as he dismissed Blaine's call. He was about to turn off the phone when he got a strain of text messages from his brother.

 **Blaine:** Cooper… is Sebastian with you?

That caught Cooper's attention, making him frown as he continued reading the rest of Blaine's texts as they started flooding his inbox.

 **Blaine:** Agent Gallamore is here and she is asking about you!

 **Blaine:**  Cooper, this is serious… I can't cover for you.

 **Blaine:**  PICK UP!

When the phone started ringing again, Cooper had no choice but to pick up the call. In the bed, Sebastian was already frowning and looking concerned.

"It's Blaine." Cooper sighed before picking up the call.

" _Cooper… Did you get my texts? Agent Gallamore is downstairs with mom!"_

Blaine was talking so fast and loud too, it almost hurt Cooper's ear.

"Yeah, I just read them… Listen-"

" _Agent Gallamore says you picked Sebastian up from the hospital last night… She thought he was staying here with us! Is he with you? Cause she's looking for him… She's asking mom all these questions and I bet they're gonna want to talk to me... I got out of the room with the excuse of bringing them something to drink from the kitchen but I have to go back now and I have no idea what to tell them!"_

"Squirt… Calm down." Cooper tried to talk to Blaine but he kept bombarding him with questions.

" _Did Sebastian spend the night with you? Cooper… Is he with you now?"_

Blaine's voice was so loud that Sebastian must have heard him, because he shook his head and silently mouthed NO, making it clear for Cooper that he didn't want Blaine to know he was there.

"No… Blaine, I picked him up yesterday but-"

" _Well he's not in his house, and Agent Gallamore told mom that Sebastian's mother doesn't know where he is… Cooper, you know how complicated things are with Sebastian's family right now… Are you guys back together or something? Mom is already suspecting something is up, and I think Agent Gallamore is too... Sebastian is not eighteen yet… You could get yourself in trouble Coop!"_

"Blaine calm down! Just stop.. okay? " Cooper finally snapped. "Sebastian is not here with me, and we are  _not_  back together… I took him to his house last night, to get his things… But he's staying at a hotel."

" _Oh really, which one?"_

 _Good question._  Cooper thought to himself, he was really starting to get frustrated with his brother.

"Look, why don't you tell agent Gallamore to call Sebastian's cel? Cause I'm not with him."

" _She said she already called him, twice… But he is not picking up."_

On the bed, Sebastian groaned and pushed his fists against his eyes. Realizing Agent Gallamore had been the one calling him earlier. Cooper was still on the phone with Blaine, trying to ease his brother's suspicions when Sebastian got off the bed and started getting dressed.

_Shit. This was not good._

When Cooper finally ended his call with Blaine, Sebastian was putting his shirt back on.

"Wait… What are you doing?"

"I have to go…" Sebastian said, getting up and reaching for his jeans.

"Go where?"

"I don't know… To a hotel, like you told Blaine."

"Sebastian… You don't have to leave."

"No, actually I do... " Sebastian said, seeming upset. "I heard what Blaine told you… Agent Gallamore might have talked to my mom… Maybe they need me for something. I don't know. But I can't be here when she calls me again."

Cooper grabbed his shirt and hastily put it on as Sebastian started tying his shoelaces. Cooper got dressed in such a hurry that he didn't even put on socks before he was running after Sebastian, who already had his bags practically out the door.

"Look… At least let me drive you to the hotel, okay?"

"I need to go to my house to get my car."

"But your dad might be there."

"I know... But it's just a risk I'm just gonna have to take."

"Sebastian..."

"Cooper, I need my car."

Just the thought of possibly running into Sebastian's father again had Cooper's stomach twisting up in knots. He knew trying to argue with sebastian was pointless though, so he agreed to take him to his house.

They drove in almost complete silence, Cooper sternly focused on the road and Sebastian fixated on his phone screen, searching for a hotel to stay in.

In a way, Cooper knew this was probably for the best, because Sebastian's mother would be out of the hospital by tomorrow and she would need a place to stay. But still, the fact that he and Sebastian had been interrupted right when they were about to have sex was more than a little upsetting.

Cooper felt a little bad for being upset about that when they clearly had more important things to worry about. His nerves were on edge as they parked outside the Smythe residence. Sebastian looked like he was ready to throw up, but sighed in relief when he glanced out the window.

"He's not here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, his car is not here... He might come back soon though so we need to be quick."

Sebastian got out of the car, but instead of taking his car he headed towards the house. Cooper had no idea what was going on, so he ran after him.

"Hey, what are you doing? Sebastian!" Cooper yelled after him but Sebastian just ran up the stairs. When Cooper caught up with him, Sebastian was in what Cooper guessed was his parents' bedroom, pulling a suitcase out of the closet.

"I need to get things for my mom..." Sebastian said, opening up drawers and pulling out clothes and underwear.

"Now?" Cooper asked, feeling more and more anxious as he feared Sebastian's dad could come back to the house and all hell could break loose.

"Yes, now! I can't risk her coming back here and have dad try to brainwash her into not pressing charges. Now stop standing there and help me out."

Cooper helped Sebastian grab clothes and shoes from the walking closet. They didn't manage to take much, just what could fit inside the suitcase before it was completely stuffed. Sebastian grabbed some of his mother's toiletries from the bathroom and then they got out of the house. Cooper helped Sebastian put the suitcase in the trunk of his car.

"Okay, now what?" Cooper asked as he closed the trunk of Sebastian's car.

"Well... I think I'm checking into the Fairfield Inn. It's not far from here."

"You know, I could stay at my parents' house and you and your mom can stay in my apartment." Cooper offered, even though he didn't think Sebastian would agree to it.

"It's alright... I have money, and mom's getting out tomorrow so to us best we just figure things out on our own... Thanks though." Sebastian said, smiling wistfully. "Um… I need my bag, it's in your car..."

Cooper wasn't going to let Sebastian go that easy... "Yeah, don't worry. I'll drive right behind you." He said, getting into his car and starting the engine. Smiling to himself as he saw Sebastian smile and get into his car.

They got to the hotel and Cooper carried Sebastian's suitcase as he carried his mom's up to the lobby. It only took Sebastian a couple of minutes to get checked in, and soon enough he was given the key to a room in the fifth floor. A bellboy took Sebastian's luggage, so there wasn't really any need for Cooper to tag along, but he still did. Sebastian wasn't telling him to leave, so he took it as a sign that he could stick around for a while longer.

Once they were finally in the room and the bellboy was gone, Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed and sighed, taking out his phone and staring at it like it had personally offended him. Cooper sat down in the other bed and stared at him, waiting for what? He wasn't sure. Sebastian seemed tense all of the sudden, and Cooper didn't know what to make of it.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just... I have to call agent Gallamore, and I'm not exactly looking forward to it.." Sebastian finally said, which explained his stern expression. "I have four missed calls from her, and two from mom. Didn't want to talk to them until I had figured things out so... I'll be right back."

Sebastian got up and walked towards the balcony, holding the phone to his ear. Cooper couldn't quite make up what he was saying once he was out and closed the glass door behind him. He looked a little worried though, but he was also smiling nervously from time to time as he talked. Cooper only hoped that things would get better for Sebastian now that he was finally out of his father's reach.

He decided to take a look around while Sebastian was out in the balcony. The hotel suite was spacious and neat. There were two queen beds on opposite sides of the room, a small kitchenette with a microwave and fridge and two couches that Cooper was pretty sure were actually sofa-beds... He was about to check out the bathroom when Sebastian came back inside.

"How did it go?" Cooper asked, and Sebastian just heaved a sigh, tossing his phone on the bed.

"Good... I think. She asked me a bunch of questions though, made my head hurt."

"Questions?"

"She was worried cause I wasn't answering my phone, but I just told her I was sleepy because of the painkillers."

"Did she buy it?"

"Yeah, I think she did."

They both smiled at that, and even though Sebastian seemed to be more at ease, Cooper couldn't help but feel a little uneasy at the whole sneaking around they had going on.

"She said my mom and I are expected to go down to the police station tomorrow morning to meet with her and start with the whole process... She said it's probably not going to be easy considering my dad is the state's attorney but the restraining order my mom filed is already effective starting tomorrow so at least that should keep the asshole away from us."

"That's good, right? This is good, Sebastian… Things are moving forward."

"Yeah…" Sebastian said, with a wary smile that told Cooper he didn't quite believe it. Cooper could tell Sebastian was worried about all the things that were going to come, and he wanted more than anything to be able to make him feel better. So he walked up to him and without hesitation pulled him into a bone crushing hug. Sebastian didn't even have time to react before he was pressed against Cooper, with his arms around him holding him tight. The embrace was a little awkward for half a second before Sebastian finally put his arms around Cooper as well. In that moment, Cooper slowly felt how the tension started to leave Sebastian's body as he relaxed in his arms, hugging him back.

For a long time they just stayed there, in the middle of the hotel room holding each other. Cooper had a thousand things going through his mind. Questions he wished he could ask, but he knew Sebastian didn't need that right now. He needed to feel safe, he needed support... He needed someone to be there for him, and Cooper was going to be that person. After a while, Cooper finally pulled back so he could look at Sebastian and realized he was smiling. Sebastian had that easy and hopeful smile Cooper loved so much. So he didn't even think twice before he leaned in and kissed him, first on the cheek and then softly on the lips. Even with his eyes closed, Cooper could feel how Sebastian smiled through the kiss.

It was easier this way, Cooper didn't have to think, or say anything aloud. Instead, he could just let his body speak for him, pouring all his affection and support for Sebastian's into every touch, every kiss, every movement. It was a language they both knew well, and their bodies remembered it... Falling effortlessly into it as they got into the bed and slowly undressed each other. Cooper's lips never left Sebastian's for more than a couple of seconds to catch a breath.

Hours passed as they rolled around in bed, drinking each other in and revelling in the feeling of their bodies pressed against each other. Touching, kissing, thrusting and moving together until they collapsed, blissed out and fully sated. Sebastian laid over his stomach, still gasping and with his hands tangled in the bed sheets while Cooper was draped over him, skin sticky with sweat and heart still pounding fast inside his chest. Even as Sebastian closed his eyes and started dozing off, Cooper did not stop pressing small kisses to his back and shoulders.

It felt like a dream to Cooper, to be able to be with Sebastian like this again after being away from him for so long. After being almost certain that he had lost him forever. But as most dreams, sooner rather than later it was time to wake up, and realize things could not be as easy as he'd like them to be.

...

That night at the hotel was the last night Cooper was able to stay with Sebastian. Because the next day, Sebastian's mother was discharged and Sebastian had to go pick her up. Cooper couldn't go with him, and he couldn't visit him at the hotel either. Things were tense enough between Sebastian and his mother without having Cooper come into the picture and raising questions and concerns that would only create more conflict between them.

They still talked every day, but they couldn't really see each other much, except from a few times whenever Sebastian was out of school and he and Cooper could get together for a quick cup of coffee before Sebastian had to go back to the hotel.

"My mom is driving me mad..." Sebastian would say, with a tired smile as he told Cooper about how tense things were. After all, Sebastian and his mom had never had a really good relationship, and living in the same small hotel room was only making things harder.

She was trying though, Cooper knew that. He knew that as much as Sebastian was complaining about her mood swings and crying fits, Violet Smythe was standing by her son, and struggling through her many shortcomings and flaws to get them through this difficult situation.

Sebastian's father had initially tried to "fix" things with them, which of course meant he just wanted to cover his own ass. Reaching out to them by means of his lawyer to try to dissuade his wife from pressing charges, but Violet hadn't let herself be manipulated. Much to Cooper's and even Sebastian's surprise, she had stood by her decision to keep the process going.

That had not gone well with Robert Smythe, who was a ruthless and cold hearted man who didn't like to lose. Sebastian's mother had filed for divorce, which added to the stress of the legal battle because of the domestic violence charges had just unleashed a storm that was rocking both their worlds.

It was a slow and stressful process. The hearings took a lot of time to be settled and things didn't seem to move fast enough. Things were hard for Sebastian, and in a way for Cooper too. He hated feeling like he had to stay in the sidelines while Sebastian and his mom struggled to get by. But Sebastian wouldn't let him do anything else.

"My mom is barely hanging to her sanity, I don't want to give her any reasons to snap at me any more than she absolutely needs to." he would say, and as much as Cooper wanted to understand, he couldn't. Sebastian didn't want Cooper to go to the hearings with them, especially after Agent Gallamore had questioned him about his relationship with him. Sebastian had denied everything, telling her that he was just a friend. But she was a very intuitive woman, and had not believed him.

" _I know you're not a child Sebastian, but Cooper is older than you by eight years and you're still a minor. I just want you to be careful, especially right now. We don't have to give your father anything he can use against you right now. He is at a disadvantage and could get Cooper in trouble if he found out."_

Cooper knew Agent Gallamore was right, but it still sucked that he had to keep his distance from Sebastian just for appearances sake. Being in the midst of a legal battle was taking a toll on Sebastian. As much as his dad had wanted to keep things secret, the media had soon found out about what happened and everything was a mess. As a result, Sebastian found himself in the spotlight even at school, which made him irritable and moody whenever Cooper and him managed to get together.

Sebastian's father didn't really have a leg to stand on though, as many of the Smythe's former house staff members were willing to testify against him. Starting with Phil Duncan, the family driver who had been witness to many times Robert Smythe had been violent and abusive, and who was the one who drove Sebastian to the hospital that time almost four months ago when his father had beat him to a pulp.

Building the case against Robert Smythe was taking time though, and weeks passed by without much being really accomplished. One afternoon, Sebastian and his mother had been summoned by their lawyer, and even though Cooper couldn't go with them, he and Sebastian had agreed to meet later so they could talk.

Cooper arrived at the hotel and sat down in one of the couches in the lobby, he had just texted Sebastian to let him know he was already there when he got an unexpected call. Cooper frowned as he saw his Agent's name flashing across his screen.

"Mike?"

" _How's my favorite blue eyed stud doing? Are you home? I've been ringing the bell for ages, open up!"_

"Uh, no Mike… I'm not in LA."

_"What? Where are you?"_

"Um… Visiting my parents in Ohio… What's up?"

" _Ohio?! Listen, I wanted to give you this news in person, but since you decided to leave the state without even telling me-"_

"I've been down here for months… Mike what is it?"

" _Remember that audition with HBO you got like six months ago?"_

"What? The one for the pilot of-"

" _Head over Feet… Yeah… Well, you got it."_

Cooper's heart stopped in his chest. "W-what?"

" _You heard me... You got the part!"_

"But… Really? I mean…  _How?_  That was months ago, I thought they'd cast someone else!"

" _I dont know man, apparently one of the writers passed away so they postponed the project, then there were some budgeting issues in the network, but they're all sorted out now, and they want you."_

"Oh my god." Cooper couldn't believe what he was hearing. He'd gone on that audition son long ago that he had completely forgotten about it.

" _Listen… How fast can you get your ass down to LA? They need you to be here for a reading tomorrow night."_

"Tomorrow? Wow… I don't know… But I mean, sure! I'll be there… I'll figure it out. Thanks man."

" _Don't thank me… It's all you. Congrats Coop!"_

When he hung up the phone, Cooper felt like his head was spinning. He got cast… He got the part! It had been so long ago that he hadn't even thought about it in months. It was a new series, and for HBO no less. This felt like a dream… Cooper was so surprised and excited that he didn't realize Sebastian was standing right in front of him.

"Seb!" He exclaimed, getting up and hugging Sebastian a little bit over-enthusiastically. Cooper was so overwhelmed and excited that he didn't notice Sebastian's eyes were rimmed red, like he had been crying.

"Hey, hey what's the matter? What happened?"

"Nothing… It's just… Everything's complicated."

"Let's get out of here, and you can tell me all about it..." Cooper said, but Sebastian stopped him.

"I can't leave… My mom is upstairs with her lawyer, and she is freaking out. I just came down here to see you but I have to go back."

"Were you crying?"

"No… I'm just pissed off." Cooper knew he was lying, but he didn't want to pressure Sebastian. "My dad's lawyer wants to negotiate a plea bargain…"

"What does that mean?"

"It means he wants my mom to drop the charges in exchange for money on their divorce settlement."

"What?"

"Yeah… Things are not looking so good right now. If they get divorced, my mom would pretty much get screwed money-wise. So he's trying to use that in his favor." Sebastian said smiling bitterly.

Cooper was at a loss for words, realizing just how low Sebastian's father was willing to go.

"Who were you talking to right now?" Sebastian asked, changing the subject. "You seemed all happy and cheerful… Got some good news or something?"

And now Cooper felt like the biggest asshole… He didn't know what to do. He had to tell Sebastian about the audition, and he couldn't put it off… But this was not the best time to talk about this. The universe had a way of fucking Cooper over, even when good things were happening to him.

"Yeah… About that… I actually need to talk to you about something."

Sebastian just eyed Cooper up and down and squinted his eyes. "What is it? You were really happy a second ago, and now you look like someone just died."

Cooper huffed and shook his head. He guessed his nerves must had been written all over his face, and he didn't want them to be. He wanted to be as calm and collected as possible.

"No… I'm fine. It's just, something happened…"

"O...kay?" Sebastian said, smiling and seeming a little confused.

"I got a call… From LA."

"From LA?"

"Yes… From my agent."

The realization of what that meant seemed to dawn on Sebastian as he frowned for a second before focusing back on Cooper again. "Right… Cause you're an… you're an actor."

"Yeah well, I want to be, at least." Cooper smiled wistfully, remembering all his failed auditions over the years. All the callbacks he got for small parts and commercials while the big and significant roles he really wanted always went to other actors.

"My acting career has been in a funk for ages, which is why I came back to Ohio in the first place... I got a few gigs doing commercials, and other really insignificant roles… Theater too... " Cooper smiled wistfully and then gathered courage to just say it. "Right before I left, I had auditioned for a new series that was coming out… I didn't hear back from them so I thought they probably just cast someone else but it seems like they were just re-budgeting or something. I still don't know how it happened but-"

"You got the part."

"Yeah… Something like that."

"Something like that?" Sebastian asked smiling incredulously.

"Yeah well... I'd actually have to go to LA to do some readings and… chemistry tests with other actors and wardrobe fittings and all that stuff before we even start filming anything but…"

"That means you're leaving." Sebastian said, interrupting Cooper's rambling.

"Yes…"

"When?"

"Tomorrow, or tonight… I don't even know. I just know it would have to be soon."

Cooper's affirmation hung heavy in the air between them for a while. Sebastian had his eyes down, looking at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world and Cooper was just bracing himself for what was going to come next… Because he honestly had no idea what it was going to be. Was Sebastian going to be happy for him? Would he be sad that he was leaving? Or angry? Cooper couldn't know, and Sebastian wasn't talking.

"Please say something." Cooper begged, which made Sebastian finally look at him.

"I don't know what to say… Congrats!?" Sebastian said lightheartedly, but Cooper could see the conflict behind the smile he was trying hard to keep in place. Cooper smiled too and reached out to hug Sebastian, who put his arms around Cooper as he pulled him close, and they just stood there in the hallway for a few minutes in silence.

"Come with me." Cooper whispered, holding Sebastian tightly.

"You know I can't."

Cooper pulled away just enough so he could see Sebastian in the eyes.

"Not now, but you could… After you graduate. You said you applied to Stanford, didn't you? Maybel you'll get in… I have an apartment in LA and you could even move in if you want-"

"Yeah… I already got my acceptance letters, actually."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I got into all three colleges I applied, but that doesn't matter… I don't even know if I'll be able to afford college Coop…" Sebastian said, pulling away from his arms. "Not until my parents' divorce crap is settled. My dad is pulling strings and making things difficult. I honestly don't know what's gonna happen… I might be able to go to Stanford, or I might end up having to get a job once I graduate and look into community college."

"Don't say that…"

"I'm just saying it's a possibility, you know that as well as I do. Besides, I have my mom now… I can't just leave her."

"Yeah, well I don't want to leave  _you._ "

Sebastian didn't say anything at first… He just huffed and ran his fingers through his hair. He was visibly upset and it was painful to watch, especially because Cooper was feeling the same way too, and he felt at a loss of what to do. The situation was more complicated that he'd ever imagined.

"I think you should go…"

"Go?"

"Yes... You have a chance to follow your dreams. Of course you should go."

Cooper finally let go of the breath he didn't even realized he was holding as Sebastian said that… But he still felt torn. He couldn't leave Sebastian behind. Could he?

"But I don't want to leave you."

"I'll be fine… " Sebastian said, and Cooper wanted nothing more than to believe it, but he still felt like crap.

"Things are too messed up right now anyway... We barely see each other Cooper, and when we do it feels all wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this... Us being like this. Sneaking around, lying to others… You're lying to Blaine, I'm lying to my mom… She is barely okay with me being gay and I don't want to add complications to an already screwed up living situation. Maybe you leaving right now is for the best."

Cooper heaved a sigh, feeling torn because a part of him, _the logical side of him,_  knew that what Sebastian was saying made sense. But another part of him,  _his heart,_  felt like Sebastian was giving up on them and pushing him away.

"So… What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that you should take the first flight you can find and get your ass to LA before you miss this chance. Otherwise, you'll regret it all your life."

"Okay." Cooper finally said, reaching out and pulling Sebastian into a tight hug and realizing this was goodbye. "I just hate that it has to be right now… Now when you need me the most-"

"Shhh… It's fine. I'll be fine." Sebastian said, rubbing his hand up and down Cooper's back.

Sebastian's words offered Cooper a little bit of reassurance, and when they pulled away they kissed softly and with lots of promises to stay in touch. But no matter how many times Cooper said it, when he left Sebastian that afternoon, he felt like he was walking away from him forever.

…

Cooper ended up finding a flight that left the next morning. So after he left Sebastian's hotel, he went to his parents house to give them the news. His father was not happy at all, especially since that meant that Cooper was just going to leave and drop things at his office, again. It had happened once before and he probably thought it was going to be the same thing all over again, but at least Blaine and his mother were supportive and excited for him. Which made Cooper feel a little bit better.

Cooper almost couldn't believe it. It was a brand new show for HBO, and he was being cast as the male lead! It really was an opportunity that not many actors had, and he knew he was extremely lucky in that way. He just wished things could have been less rushed so he wouldn't have to leave Sebastian in the middle of everything he was dealing with.

Once he got to LA, it was harder than he thought to find free time. Between rehearsals, wardrobe fittings and filming. Cooper had a really busy schedule that was irregular at best. Sometimes the filming would start early in the morning and go until the late afternoon. And other days they would start at noon and finish almost at sunrise.

The cast of the show was awesome, and his female costar, Nelly, was really nice and easygoing. Which was great when he had to spend almost all his waking moments with her. At the end of every work day, Cooper was completely exhausted but happy and excited to be doing what he loved. They were just filming the pilot episode though. They had to give it their best and hope that the network executives would like the show and pick it up for a full season.

Things were hectic, and Cooper missed Sebastian, but as the time passed by, he wondered if Sebastian missed him as much as he did. Even though they still talked on the phone and texted fairly frequently, things weren't the same. In the back of his mind, Cooper feared that Sebastian resented him for leaving. Even though every time he asked him, Sebastian said that he didn't. Sebastian said he was just busy, and Cooper could understand that. He was busy too, and being thousands of miles away from Sebastian wasn't helping, in fact it was only making things worse. Cooper couldn't help but feel like their relationship was wearing thinner and thinner with every day that passed.

Cooper knew long distances relationships were hard, but he never expected things to be so difficult. They decided they would try to have "skype-dates" at least every two days, so they could see each other. But with Cooper's difficult filming schedules, it was impossible. Sometimes Sebastian wouldn't text him back, or he wouldn't pick up when he called. Other times, it was Cooper who didn't pick up or text back, but that was mostly on the days when he was busy filming, or the days when he was so tired that he passed out on his bed without even getting changed.

Cooper felt guilty about missing important things on Sebastian's life, like his graduation, or the final trial on his father's case. A month after he had left for LA, Sebastian's parents finally got divorced. It was bittersweet, because after everything that had happened, Sebastian's mother had decided to take the settlement in exchange of dropping the charges. Sebastian's father was still prosecuted by the state, but after everything, he had only walked away with only six months in prison, a pathetic $2,500 fine, community service and mandatory counselling for alcohol abuse and anger management.

It was unfair and ridiculous, but at least that meant that Sebastian and his mother had gotten a better deal out of the divorce. Which as Sebastian had said, meant they got to keep their house, and almost half of his father's money… It wasn't fair, but at least Sebastian wasn't going to be homeless, and he would be able to go to college.

 _College._  Cooper hadn't really been able to talk about that subject with Sebastian ever since he'd left for LA, but now that things were settled with his parents divorce, Cooper wanted to bring up the subject with Sebastian really badly. Not over the phone though, Cooper decided he would wait until the weekend when they usually were able to Skype.

It was weird how technology worked to bring people closer together, even when they were thousands of miles away. They still weren't able to touch each other, but somehow just being able to see Sebastian's face as they talked made the call a hundred times better than just doing it over the phone.

That night, when Cooper went online and finally called Sebastian, the subject of college lingered in the back of his mind even as they talked about other stuff. Sebastian asked him how filming was going and Cooper had lots of things to tell him. They talked for almost an hour until Sebastian got up to get himself a cup of coffee. When he returned, Cooper smiled as he saw Sebastian come back, holding his red mug in his hands.

"That looks tasty, I should make myself a cup too" Cooper joked, making Sebastian smile.

"Yeah… Mom made some earlier and I had to reheat it so it's not as good as when it's freshly brewed… But it's still pretty good."

"How is your mom?"

"Good… I mean, as good as she can be. She still doesn't leave the house much, but at least she is going to therapy."

"That's good Seb, right?"

"Yeah I guess… My brother is coming next week. So she'll be busy."

"He is? Oh wow… You never really talk much about him."

"Yeah well, he is coming here to help us with the move."

That was a curveball that caught Cooper completely off guard. Cooper wondered why he hadn't mentioned that before, but judging by Sebastian's sudden tight smile, he knew there was something else going on.

"Move? You're moving?"

"Yeah… My mom is selling the house. We really need to get away from Ohio and all the drama and stress that exists for us around here. It's awful, really." Sebastian said, pressing his lips into a tight line. "Besides, she wants to buy a house closer to Rob and I will be living."

"Closer to Rob and you?"

"Yeah… I mean, for college."

Cooper heaved a sigh, Sebastian's words hitting him like a punch in the stomach, because he knew Sebastian's brother Robert lived in Boston.

"You're moving to boston with your brother?"

"No… But..."

"But you're not going to Stanford either."

Sebastian shook his head, and Cooper felt more confused than ever.

"I'm actually going to Yale, Cooper." Sebastian said, with a small and tired smile. Cooper tried to smile too, wanting with all his heart to do the right thing, the mature thing, when all he wanted to do was yell at Sebastian and demand to know why he hadn't told him anything about this before.

All this time he'd been hoping that Sebastian would eventually join him in LA, and that they would be able to be together. So this sudden revelation not only felt like a loss, but also like betrayal.

"Why didn't you tell me? I thought… I thought you were coming here…"

"I wanted to… But after not-" Sebastian stopped mid sentence and rubbed his hands over his face a couple of times, something Cooper knew he did when he was frustrated or nervous. "I just can't… It wouldn't work out. I have to stay close to my mom… Close to Rob. Things are just complicated right now Cooper, you know that-"

"I know things are complicated Sebastian but… Why didn't you tell me sooner? I thought you were coming here… I thought we would be together again."

"I know! Alright?" Cooper was startled when it was actually Sebastian who snapped. "Believe me Cooper, I know… and I really wanted to. But I can't… I just can't. I'm sorry."

Cooper stared at his computer screen feeling completely disheartened. His thoughts and emotions wreaking havoc inside him as he tried his best to remain calm. What was he supposed to do now? Sebastian was moving to the opposite side of the country. There was no reasonable way in hell they could ever be together like this. Was Sebastian breaking up with him? Was that what was happening?

Sebastian was quiet, looking at him through the camera, and the distance hurt Cooper now more than ever. He should have known this was going to happen. But he had allowed himself to hope, to dream that things could be different. Maybe it was time he finally woke up.

"So… Where does this leave us?" Cooper finally dared to ask after a long pause.

"You mean... Aside from almost three thousand miles apart?" Sebastian said, with a wistful smile. Cooper knew he was probably just trying to lighten the mood. But he had no idea how Sebastian could even do that. Cooper couldn't smile even if he wanted to. He felt lost, and powerless… but mostly, he just felt heartbroken.

Sebastian looked like he regretted every word that he'd said, but he wasn't saying anything else. He was just staring at Cooper. "I'm really sorry."

"Don't be." Cooper said, and deep down, he actually meant it. "I guess maybe things between us were just…"

"Not meant to be?" Sebastian asked.

"I was actually going to say 'too complicated' but yeah… I guess that too."

Cooper had to bite his lip to keep in from quivering, and after taking a deep breath, he looked up at Sebastian and shook his head. Even through the crappy quality of the video, Cooper could still see a faint glimmer of tears in Sebastian's eyes. Maybe it was just the sting of tears behind his own eyes. He couldn't really tell.

"This sucks." Sebastian said, wiping his eyes, and the sight of him made Cooper want to break his screen open just to be able to hold him. But since he couldn't do that… He just sighed and tried as best as he could to smile.

"I still love you."

"I do too… But..."

"But it's too complicated… Right?" Cooper added, and Sebastian just nodded.

Of all the break-ups that Cooper had experienced up until that moment in his life. This had to be the one that hurt the most. Because even though it  _wasn't_  a break up, it was still the end of a relationship. It wasn't that they didn't love each other, just that it wasn't enough. It wasn't that they didn't want to be together, just that they couldn't.

The worst part was that for a moment, Cooper had really thought he and Sebastian had a chance to be happy together, but as Cooper soon found out, things rarely turned out as he wanted them to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sobs* I'm so sorry guys, but this is how things were supposed to end… Don't lose hope though, cause there's still an epilogue coming up, and a slight time jump so... I hope to have it done by christmas :D as a present to all of you guys for being so patient and awesome.


	17. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years later, Sebastian and Cooper's paths cross again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *emerges from under a rock*
> 
> I don't want to bore you with my apologies for breaking my promise of posting this on christmas. I will only say that I am sorry, but this chapter was so difficult for me to write. Because I wanted it to be perfect. I had this planned all along, and now finally finishing this story feels so bittersweet. I just hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this.

It was a chilly November afternoon and Sebastian had been walking around downtown Boston with his mom and little nephew, Tommy. The weather was definitely starting to get too cold for it to be comfortable to stay outside for long periods of time, but that hadn't stopped Sebastian's mother from offering Rob to take little Tommy to the aquarium while he and his wife Stacy took a much needed day off after hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for fifteen people.

It had become a sort of new family tradition for Sebastian, going to Boston for thanksgiving and then spending a few days with his mother and brother. Sebastian's mother was living in Boston, not far from where Rob lived. The house Sebastian's mother had now was nowhere as big as their old home back in Westerville but it was still spacious and big enough. It had three bedrooms, so his mother had turned one of them into a studio where she'd work on her projects and the other one was Sebastian's for when he was in town, visiting. Sebastian's brother Rob had been married for two years now, and he had a three year old son. Little Tommy had been born one year before Rob and Stacy got married, so Violet had helped them a lot, looking after him while they both managed to graduate from college.

It had been quite crazy, but now with Sebastian's dad out of the picture, Violet seemed to be a completely different person. Sebastian definitely had a better relationship with his mother now than he ever remembered having before. Sometimes when he visited, he wished he could spend more days with her, but he really, really couldn't. Sebastian was in town just for that weekend, because he had to go back to New York the next day. After all, he had a demanding job and a half-done dissertation he needed to get back to.

After going to the aquarium, Sebastian and his mom had taken Tommy to the Boston Commons park, since he was always excited to see the squirrels and birds that flooded the park at all times. They were sitting in a bench right near the ice rink, looking at Tommy while he fed the squirrels when Sebastian's phone started buzzing for what seemed like the tenth time that day. Sebastian was determined to ignore it, but unfortunately this time his mother noticed.

"Honey I think your phone is buzzing."

"Yeah, I know…" Sebastian said, reaching for his phone so he could silence it without even getting it out of his pocket.

"Aren't you gonna get it?"

"No… It's nothing mom." Sebastian said, smiling as casually as he could. He didn't have to check it to know who was calling him. He knew it was Trent. Luckily his mother just frowned and turned away so she could keep looking at Tommy.

After a few missed calls, Sebastian could feel his phone buzzing but with text messages this time. He finally got his phone out of his pocket just to read Trent's four angry text messages.

_**(11:03) From Trent Nixon:** _

_Sebastian… Pick up. You can't keep ignoring me, you know?_

_**(11:04) From Trent Nixon:** _

_We need to buy our tickets! We should have bought them like a month ago._

_**(11:08) From Trent Nixon:** _

_You can't get out of this… I already booked our hotel, remember? You promised me!_

_**(11:20) From Trent Nixon:** _

_Sebastian… Don't be a dick. CALL ME BACK._

Sebastian shook his head, rolling his eyes as he could practically hear Trent's annoyed voice through every one of his text messages. When his mother saw him, she must have noticed something was bothering him.

"Everything okay honey?"

"Yeah… It's just Trent pestering me about going to Vegas again."

"Oh… I thought you said you weren't going?"

"Yeah I did… But he is very stubborn. I might end up going just so he will shut up about it."

"Why is Trent so adamant on going right now? Wouldn't it be better to go some other time? I bet Las Vegas is super crowded with tourists this time of the year, and everything is probably twice as expensive just for that very reason."

"Trust me mom, we know. But there's a wedding… that's why it  _has_  to be now."

"A wedding?"

"Yeah, on the 13th."

"Oh lord… Who on earth decides to get married that late in december?" Violet said, chuckling. "It's so cold and crowded everywhere!"

"Well, Blaine Anderson, apparently."

"Oh, is that who is getting married? I didn't know you were still friends…"

"That's the thing... We're not."

Sebastian's mother gave him a puzzled look, but he just shrugged. He didn't really want to have this conversation with his mom, but she just kept staring at him, and seemed genuinely curious. Sebastian had been trying to be as open with her as possible, so he decided to just tell her.

"I haven't seen the guy in almost 5 years mom. Trent is actually the one who was invited. He wants me to be his plus one, but I'm just not sure if I want to go."

"Oh, I see... But, why don't you want to go? Are you on good terms with Blaine?"

"That's not it, mom." Sebastian said, trying to shrug off his mind the last awkward interaction he had with Blaine back when they were still in High School. "I'm just not keen on making a trip all the way to Las Vegas, spending good money on a flight and hotel just to be there for barely two days and then having to come back, you know?"

"Can't you stay for a little longer to make it worth the trip? You've never been to Vegas before, it could be nice."

"You know I can't take extra days off work. Not right now… I barely managed to escape to come this weekend. If I ask for more days my boss would kill me, and then kill himself probably."

Sebastian wasn't exaggerating, things at the office were crazier than ever lately. And he had enough on his plate handling his job and his last college assignments before he could finally graduate. He had barely been able to fly to Boston for thanksgiving because of how swamped he was with all his responsibilities.

"You work too much honey… I think you should go. Take the weekend off and have a little fun. Are any of your other Dalton friends going to the wedding too? Wouldn't it be nice to see them?"

Sebastian's mom did have a point, and it made his heart ache a little with nostalgia. He hadn't seen any of his Dalton friends after graduation, except for Trent. In that front, maybe going to Vegas for Blaine's wedding wasn't such a bad idea… But on the other hand, Sebastian knew that going to Blaine's wedding almost certainly meant seeing Cooper again for the first time in five years. And well, he just wasn't sure how he felt about that.

"If you need money you know you just have to ask." Violet said, nudging Sebastian affectionately.

"It's okay mom. Don't worry."

"Can I ask you something?" She asked suddenly, as a small blush crept up her cheeks.

"Yeah… What is it?"

"Are you and Trent… You know…  _Together?_ "

That almost made Sebastian choke on his own breath. "What? No, mom… Definitely not!" He laughed in complete disbelief, but Violet seemed genuinely curious.

"Honey, you know you can tell me…"

"Mom… Trent and I are just friends. Just cause we're roommates it doesn't mean that we're-"

"Okay… Okay! I believe you." She said, smiling. "I just get curious, since I've never met any of your boyfriends. And don't tell me you haven't dated anyone because with your good looks I find that hard to believe Sebastian."

Sebastian could feel himself getting slightly flustered at his mother's assertion. But he couldn't help but laugh. Five years ago he would have never imagined being able to talk with his mother like this, but over the years she had become much more open and understanding.

Sebastian had dated a few guys, but nothing serious. He liked to go to bars and meet guys, but nothing had really lasted more than a few casual dates. His last attempt at having a serious relationship two years ago had ended after just six months. Sebastian's life was too hectic between balancing school and work, and he just really didn't see the point in having a serious relationship anyway. One night stands were easier, and emotionally much more tidier.

"Trust me, when I do have a boyfriend, you'll be the first one to know." He said, putting his arm around his mother's shoulders and hugging her.

…

The next day, Sebastian flew back to New York. He braced himself before he entered his apartment, as he knew Trent would be waiting for him, probably with the biggest bitch-face ever and ready to yell at him. Much to his surprise though, when he got to the apartment, Sebastian found Trent making dinner and humming to an unfamiliar melody in the kitchen. When Trent heard the front door opening, he just cast a glance over his shoulder and then went back to his cooking without saying anything.

Sebastian cautiously entered the apartment and after leaving his suitcase in the livingroom, made his way to the kitchen. Trent's silence was unnerving him more than anything. Trent should be yelling at him, yet he wasn't.

"Hey Trent…" Sebastian said, sitting in one of the chairs and taking a deep breath as his roommate finally turned around to see him.

"Hello Sebastian."

Trent turned off the stove and covered the pot of what appeared to be some kind of pasta dish with green sauce. He then walked over to the pantry to get a bottle of wine and two glasses out. He didn't look angry at all as he put the two glasses in the table right in front of Sebastian.

"Are you hungry? I made grilled chicken with linguine and pesto." Trent said as he slowly poured wine in the glasses, without really making eye contact with Sebastian.

"Uh… Sounds good. Thanks."

Sebastian felt a bit puzzled as Trent just returned to his cooking, pouring some cheese over the pasta before stirring it a little more and serving two plates. He knew Trent had to be mad at him because he didn't reply to any of his calls or texts, but this behavior was unlike anything Sebastian had ever seen from Trent.

When Trent finally sat down to eat, Sebastian figured he should just bite the bullet and apologize.

"Look, Trent I know you're mad at me, and I'm sorry but-"

"I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"Well… A little. But I'm actually just worried about you, Sebastian."

"What?" Sebastian was thrown off by Trent's words. "Worried why?"

"Look… I don't know why you're so freaked out about going to Blaine's wedding. Just like I don't know why you have flat out refused to go to the three Dalton high school reunions we've had in the past years."

"Trent… I told you…"

"No, Sebastian… I don't buy any of the excuses you've always fed me. Last year you were on board with going to the reunion up until Blaine confirmed he was going to be there too. Then all of the sudden you had to work that weekend? I'm not stupid."

Sebastian heaved a sigh, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"I know something happened between you and Blaine, even though you both keep telling me that nothing happened."

"Yeah, that's cause nothing happened!" Sebastian said as he stared down at his plate of food and started toying with the linguine as Trent went on.

"Yeah, I know that's what you always say. But I also know you're not telling me the whole truth. So I decided to call Blaine and ask him."

"You what?"

"I called him, and asked him if he would be okay with you being my plus one to his wedding."

Sebastian just sighed, taking a sip of his glass of wine as he just stared at his roommate in complete disbelief.

"Did you tell him you wanted to take me just because you don't want to be alone in case your ex shows up with a date?"

"No! Of course not!" Trent said, giving him a death glare. "Besides I don't even know if Alex is going to the wedding anymore. Blaine says he didn't confirm, and Eli hasn't heard from him in a while."

"Are you kidding? Your ex might not even be there? Why are you so adamant on taking me with you then?"

"Because you're my friend, Sebastian. And I care about you, even if you're a dick head most of the time. A lot of our friends from Dalton will be there… and they miss you. They always ask about you Sebastian. I don't know why you're being like this… avoiding them... And avoiding Blaine."

"It's complicated."

"So I heard."

"So you heard?"

"Yeah… I asked Blaine what happened between you guys. He said nothing happened between you two, so I asked him if there was a reason you would want to avoid him."

"What did Blaine say?"

"Same thing as you... He said it was complicated. But that it was not his place to tell me, and that I should ask you instead."

 _Well, thanks Blaine._  Sebastian thought to himself. At least he was being discreet about the whole situation. To be honest, five years seemed like a long time to still be worrying about high-school embarrassments, but the subject of Cooper Anderson was probably always going to be a sore spot for Sebastian's pride. After everything that happened, Sebastian and Cooper had made amends and had been on fairly good terms up until the moment they broke up. But Blaine... He was a whole different story. Sebastian hadn't really spoken to him since then, and he just felt awkward and uncomfortable even thinking about seeing him again. What did Blaine think of him? Did Cooper and he ever talk about him? Did he felt sorry for Sebastian? Was he mad for what had happened with Cooper? So many questions bombarded Sebastian's mind.

So yes, Sebastian would rather not see or talk to Blaine unless he absolutely had to. So the three times when the guys from Dalton had organized class reunions, Sebastian had always been too busy to go.

Deep down, Sebastian knew he was being childish, but the truth was that he had never been really close to the guys at Dalton. He had only studied there for two years, unlike Trent who had been to Dalton for almost all his life.

Sebastian was deep in thought when Trent spoke again and startled him.

"You better tell me what's up Sebastian. Because I already bought our plane tickets. You owe me three hundred bucks, by the way."

"You bought the tickets? What the hell, Trent?"

"You already promised me you would think about it, Sebastian. And you wouldn't answer the phone, so I went ahead and bought them." Trent said nonchalantly as he took a bite from his pasta and took a sip of his wine. "The wedding is in two weeks… We couldn't wait any longer, otherwise we wouldn't be able to book a flight!"

"I can't believe you…" Sebastian said, shaking his head.

"Well,  _I can't believe_  you won't tell me what's really going on."

In that moment, Sebastian looked at Trent and just gave up. He knew he had been avoiding this conversation for too long, and that he couldn't do it anymore. Besides, Trent had proved to be a good friend over the years… They got along really well, better than they ever did back when they were in Dalton.

So after gulping down his glass of wine, and asking Trent to pour him another. Sebastian finally said: "Okay Trent… You want to hear the truth? I'm gonna tell you the truth."

"Finally!"

"But!" Sebastian said, lifting his finger up to warn Trent. "You have to promise me… On your life, that you won't tell anyone about this."

Trent frowned and put his elbows over the table, holding his wine glass and eyeing Sebastian suspiciously. "Okay… You're scaring me now."

"Promise me Trent."

"I promise."

"Fine." Sebastian said, taking a sip from his new glass of wine. His appetite was gone just from the nerves of talking about this with Trent. He had never told anyone about what happened with Cooper, but he knew if he could trust anyone on this earth, it was probably Trent Nixon.

"I will admit that I have been avoiding Blaine ever since high school... So yes, I cancelled last year just because I didn't want to see him. But it's not because of anything he did to me, or anything I did to him."

Trent frowned, taking a sip of wine and squinting his eyes. "I don't understand."

"It has to do with Blaine's brother… Cooper."

Sebastian paused and Trent just lifted an eyebrow.

"Cooper and I were involved... back when I was still at Dalton."

"You mean involved, as in…"

"Involved as in we were seeing each other... sleeping together."

The look of complete disbelief and shock on Trent's face only lasted half a second before he was begging Sebastian to tell him all the juicy details. Since Cooper was on TV quite a lot these days, starring on a popular HBO show that was on it's fourth season, Trent totally fanboyed for a couple of minutes over how he couldn't believe Sebastian had hooked up with him. However, Trent's excitement only lasted for a few seconds once Sebastian told him the full story of what happened.

At first, Sebastian didn't plan to go into all the full details of what had happened between Cooper and him. He figured he could just cover the basics. But halfway through his story he realized he couldn't really make Trent understand the level of his unease and heartbreak unless he told him the whole story.

Sebastian needed a couple of glasses of wine to get through the whole thing with a somehow straight face.

Trent couldn't believe the things Sebastian was saying but at least he was supportive of him and told Sebastian how he wished he would have shared this things with him sooner. There were moments when Trent's eyes even watered upon hearing Sebastian tell him about everything that had happened, especially with his family troubles, the divorce and his dad's trial. Sebastian told Trent about how Cooper had supported him through it all, but that at the end Sebastian had broken up with him in the worst possible way. The truth was that after that last skype call with Cooper, when he broke things up, Sebastian had only corresponded with Cooper occasionally through email, and then eventually they just never spoke or wrote to each other again. Sebastian was the one who had broken things off, and was the one who had stopped replying to Cooper's emails. So really, he had been the one who probably had the most regrets of it all.

To this day, Sebastian felt really bad about leaving things like that. But the awkwardness and horribly stressful situations that surrounded him back then had just seemed impossible to resolve.

After learning the truth, Trent was more understanding of Sebastian's hesitance to go to the wedding. So he and Sebastian agreed that they would sit in the back row of the chapel, so Sebastian could avoid making any eye-contact with Cooper during the ceremony. Trent and Sebastian didn't know exactly how many guests Blaine had planned to have at his wedding, but they figured it would be at least 200 people or more, considering he was getting married at  _the_  Bellagio. With a large number like that, Sebastian hoped that if he was careful, Cooper wouldn't even notice him there, or at the very least that he could be there without having to interact with him more than absolutely necessary, if things got awkward.

Because when it came down to it, that is what Sebastian wondered about the most. He hadn't seen or spoken to Cooper in so long that he didn't know how things would be between them. Maybe it would be nice and friendly, but it could also be tense and awkward. In any case, Sebastian didn't know, and that's what worried him the most.

"You stress too much." Trent would always tell him, and he was right. Sebastian had a masters degree in overthinking and over stressing about things. It was a flaw of his, but he couldn't really help it.

While Trent understood Sebastian's uneasiness in regards to seeing Cooper, he also told Sebastian that it was time that he put all those things behind him. Trent said that maybe he was just freaking out about things that he didn't even need to worry about. He also offered Sebastian information he didn't know, like how according to the tabloids, Cooper was rumored to be dating his co-star on the show, Nelly Walker. It wasn't confirmed, but it meant there was a possibility that Cooper would have a date for the wedding, and so Trent would be more than happy to be Sebastian's pretend-boyfriend, if the need arose.

Sebastian couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. How at first it was Trent who wanted Sebastian to go with him to the wedding in case his ex-boyfriend was there, (since he was a friend of Blaine's fiance), but now Trent was the one offering to stand up with him in case Sebastian needed a fake-date to face his own ex-boyfriend.

…

It was the day of Blaine's wedding, and Cooper was late. Cooper hated being late for things, and especially for things that had to do with his family. Lately his life was so crazy that he felt like he barely had any time for his family, and that was something that he knew he needed to work on. Blaine was getting married after a two year long relationship with a guy Cooper barely knew. Surely Cooper tried his best to visit his family for Christmases and other important dates and holidays, but it still wasn't enough. Cooper hadn't really gotten a decent chance to know his brother's fiance, and now before he even knew it, they were getting married.

Cooper couldn't screw this up, but it felt like he was going to. It all started because he had a meeting that was too important to reschedule. His show was currently airing it's last season and he was in the final negotiations for a new project. So he definitely couldn't postpone. The meeting had run for longer than he thought, so that was why he ended up missing his flight to Las Vegas. Luckily, Cooper was able to find another flight with a different airline. Well, in all honesty it had actually been Grace, his assistant, who had once again saved his life. It was a good thing Grace was traveling with him, because Cooper was sure that if he had been alone he would have been stuck in the airport until the next flight seven hours later, and would have ended up missing his brother's wedding.

It was 5pm when Cooper finally landed in Las Vegas, and the wedding started at 6. That meant Cooper had less than an hour to get to the hotel, take a shower and get ready for the wedding, which wouldn't be so bad for any other normal guest. But Cooper wasn't just a normal guest, he was going to be the master of ceremony.

The second Cooper got off the plane and turned on his phone, he got ten new text messages, half from his mother and half from Blaine himself.

Shit.

"Everything okay?" Grace asked, as they both practically sprinted across the airport dragging their carry-on luggage with them.

"I have several worried and stressed out texts, but no death threats, so I think we're good."

"Well, I have your car already waiting for us, so we better hurry."

"Thanks, I love you."

"You better."

Cooper beat a record in getting ready. He probably wouldn't have been able to pull if off if it wasn't for the fact that he was staying at the same hotel where the wedding was taking place. The suite was beautiful and luxurious, but he barely had any time to properly appreciate it because he had to rush out after showering and getting changed in a hurry. Cooper also had a room booked for Grace to stay in and relax for the weekend. She spent so much time with him that Cooper's family considered her a friend now.

Once he was finally in the chapel, Cooper realized everything was spotless and flawlessly arranged. Blaine however, was a mess. He was freaking out, and when Cooper got through the door he almost got a shoe thrown at him.

"Cooper! I thought you weren't going to come! Jesus! What took you so long?"

"I'm sorry squirt… got tied up in a meeting, missed my flight. But I'm here now, I'm here."

Blaine stared at Cooper and just smiled nervously. He looked like he wanted to say something more but he just shook his head and hugged him. Cooper had never seen Blaine this vulnerable and nervous before, and he wanted nothing more than to make his wedding perfect for him.

Blaine was nervous, as he had a right to be. Cooper knew most of his stress was due to the uncertainty of having a wedding when very little of their family actually approved of him being gay. It had taken their parents a while to get used to it, back when Blaine first came out to them. But now, years later, they were fully supportive and happy to see their son get married. However, the rest of the people in their family weren't as accepting as their parents were. Mostly on their dad's side of the family, since they were very religious. Blaine had invited most of them out of courtesy, but that didn't mean that he didn't care if they came or not. He cared a lot. Blaine wanted everything in his wedding day to be perfect, and Cooper really hoped that it would be.

So after giving Blaine a couple of encouraging words and a hug, Cooper went back outside to the Chapel to see how things were. The chapel was already half full, and Cooper felt a little bad because he was supposed to be at the door greeting people and giving out the wedding programs, but now it was Eli's sister Wendy the one doing all the work. Once Cooper got there he was glad to take over and welcome the guests as they arrived. He had to ask them to try to fill in the benches because Blaine had invited more people than the chapel was actually capable of holding, so they didn't want to have empty seats in the middle and have people standing up in the back.

Being a Vegas wedding, they knew that not everyone invited would actually be able to make it, but still… Cooper had the task of ensuring everyone who got there found a seat before he could announce the beginning of the ceremony. Cooper was doing his best, smiling wide and greeting people. It was all going great, until he had to greet the last person he imagined would show up at his brother's wedding.

"S-Sebastian?"

"Cooper… Hi."

Cooper felt completely blindsided by Sebastian's arrival.  _Had Blaine invited him? But why hadn't he told Cooper about it? Sebastian looked different. Had he grown taller? Since when did he start wearing glasses? What was going on?_  A thousand different thoughts flashed through Cooper's mind in a split second before he could compose himself. He was speechless, but still managed to smile as best as he could as he handed him a wedding program for him and another one to the guy who was with him.

"I didn't know you were coming." Cooper said, immediately regretting his choice of words.

"Yeah… neither did I." Sebastian replied lightheartedly but smiling a bit awkwardly at the same time. Cooper frowned, feeling a little puzzled but then Sebastian's friend intervened.

"Hi, I'm Trent…" He said smiling warmly as he reached to shake Cooper's hand. One good look at the guy and Cooper recognized him.

"I remember you… You're from Dalton, right? One of the Warblers."

"Yep… Guilty as charged."

"Well, welcome! We're glad to have you here." Cooper said, flashing them his best smile. The exchange with Trent and Sebastian was incredibly brief and a little awkward, since there were other guests arriving and they had to move inside, but Cooper's mind was just reeling. He felt like an idiot… Maybe he should have at least hugged Sebastian or something, but he was so perplexed and caught of guard that he had just handed him the program and before he even knew what was happening Sebastian was walking away and sitting down in one of the benches of the chapel.

This was definitely going to be one hell of a night. Cooper already had a lot on his plate to begin with, the pressure to make everything perfect for Blaine, helping with all the details of the ceremony and the reception, but now with Sebastian there Cooper felt like a wrench had been thrown into the mix. He was going to have to work twice as hard to focus now.

…

Sebastian's hope of making it through the wedding undetected by Cooper was sent to hell after the first five minutes of getting to the place. Their encounter was a little awkward, but it wasn't really all that bad. It could have been worse, Sebastian guessed. At least Cooper seemed happy to see him, and they had acknowledged each other in the most casual and friendly way possible. Which actually made sense. They hadn't broken up because of a fight or because they hated each other… They had just broken up because… Sebastian didn't want to think about it. But he couldn't stop. His brain wouldn't shut up about it the whole time he was there.

Sebastian sighed, looking down at the small paper with the wedding program he had on his hands. The program was neat, nicely decorated with a photo of Blaine and Eli, and their names on it. It even had the designated schedule for everything that was going to happen. It was a little excessive… But he wouldn't have expected any less from Blaine Anderson, really.

6:00 - Seating begins

6:30 - Ceremony

7:00 - Wedding Reception and Photos

9:00 - Cocktail hour and dancing

10:00 - Cut the Cake

12:00 - Goodbye to the newlyweds

Sebastian was reading the program when suddenly, Cooper's voice filled the room. "Dear friends and family, welcome and thank you for being with us on this very special day…"

When Sebastian looked up and saw Cooper standing in front of the room, holding the microphone and looking dashing as ever. He knew it was going to be a long night.

...

The wedding ceremony was shorter than what Sebastian expected, probably because unlike other wedding's Sebastian had attended, they didn't have any of the religious mumbo-jumbo being spewed before getting to the actual  _saying-the-vows-and-getting-married_  part. This was actually Sebastian's first ever gay wedding, so that part at least was a little interesting for him than any other boring wedding he'd ever been forced to go to. Not that he would ever consider getting married himself, but it was interesting nonetheless.

Blaine looked happy and excited. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a silver satin lapel. His former fiance and now husband was wearing a similar one, and they actually looked pretty good together. Sebastian didn't know him, but he looked like a nice guy. He was not much taller than Blaine, but he was built thinner and his hair was lighter than he'd remember seeing in the photos Trent showed him. As much as Sebastian tried to focus on the grooms, somehow his eyes kept landing on the master of ceremonies who was standing a couple of feet away from them, looking unfairly handsome in his black tuxedo and gray tie. It certainly didn't help that every so often, Cooper's blue eyes would find Sebastian's own, only to quickly turn away.

Looking at Cooper right there and then, Sebastian was feeling conflicted. Before the wedding, he wanted to just avoid Cooper as much as he could, but now he wasn't feeling so evasive anymore. Sebastian was overwhelmed by a strange feeling of longing, like he wanted to go and talk to Cooper, and ask him how he was, but at the same time, he didn't want to. The situation was just plain weird.

"Stop it." Trent whispered, elbowing Sebastian discreetly.

"What?!"

"Stop looking like someone punched you in the gut."

Sebastian rolled his eyes and pushed his glasses a bit up the bridge of his nose. He hadn't realized he was making any faces. He guessed he needed to work on that. He tried to relax and scan the crowd for any familiar faces and spotted some of Blaine's old McKinley friends. The blonde guy with the huge mouth was there, and the asian girl. He didn't remember their names though, and he had no intention of finding them out. Rachel Berry was nowhere to be found, neither was Hummel, but that was no surprise.

After the ceremony ended and the newlyweds had exited the chapel, Cooper announced it was time for the reception which would take place in one of the hotel's ballrooms. As the crowd started leaving the chapel, Trent quickly spotted Jeff, David, Nick and a couple of other friends from Dalton. When they got to the ballroom, they all sat together in a table and were joined by Wes, Thad and other guys that Sebastian didn't quite know. It was going to be a long night… but at least according to the program, cocktail hour was coming soon.

_...Two hours later..._

The party sucked. It was boring and dull, and only stupid people were enjoying themselves and dancing. Sebastian was just counting the seconds until they could get out of there, but Trent on the other hand, seemed to be having the time of his life. Maybe it was the fact that his ex decided to just not show up after all, maybe it was all the shots of tequila he'd already had. The food was halfway decent, but Sebastian wasn't really hungry, so he decided to take advantage of the open bar instead.

They had a big table all to themselves, and the drinks kept coming as they all reminisced about their time back in Dalton. David and Wes' girlfriends were the only two women in the table, but they were having a great time listening to all the embarrassing stories the guys had to share. Almost all of them used to be Warblers, so they had lots to talk about in regards to that, but it got old really fast… at least for Sebastian. Many of them had managed to keep in touch after graduating, but not all of them, so there was a lot of catching up to do, and they all kept asking Sebastian lots of questions, especially since he was one of the few who never went to any of the get-togethers or reunion parties they liked to organize so much.

Every now and then, Sebastian would turn around and scan the crowded party, looking for Cooper. He was not hard to find, since he was either walking around with the newlyweds, guiding the camera guy and photographer that they had hired to tape the whole wedding, filming the guests as they said their good wishes for the couple, or taking the microphone to make announcements.

Sebastian wished he could stop staring at Cooper, especially because Cooper didn't seem to even care that Sebastian was there at all. After the few times they made eye contact during the ceremony, Cooper hadn't made any attempts to approach Sebastian. Initially, that was exactly what Sebastian wanted… to go through the wedding with as little contact with Cooper as possible, but now that it was happening, Sebastian was upset? He didn't understand his own conflicted feelings.

He couldn't help but wonder what was going through Cooper's mind. But since he couldn't, Sebastian guessed that the dull conversations with his former Dalton friends were as good a distraction as he could possibly hope for. The music was loud and Trent was already a more than a little tipsy…

"We should dance." Trent said, tangling his arm around Sebastian's waist. "Come on, Seb… Let's go."

"I don't think-"

"Shut up!" Trent interrupted him. "You need to have fun… So we're gonna dance."

Sebastian smiled, figuring it was pointless to even try to dissuade Trent. The music was loud and pumping so he figured maybe he'd indulge his roommate… Dance with him until he got tired and so maybe they could go back to their hotel.

Trent was funny when he was tipsy. And even though Sebastian could feel he was a little drunk himself, it was still hilarious to dance with him. Trent just didn't care about anything. He moved and spinned and grooved as Sebastian tried to keep up. Maybe it was stupid, but he managed to get distracted from his own conflicting thoughts and just get lost in the music for a little while. Another drink, another song, and Sebastian was definitely buzzed now, and it was freaking awesome.

About four songs in and Trent was starting to get tired. Just in time, the music changed and slower beats started playing. Trent put his arms around Sebastian's neck and made a pouty face.

"Aw, this sucks… I wanted to keep dancing."

"We're still dancing." Sebastian said, smiling.

"Yeah but I was in the zooone! You know?"

"Oh yeah… I know buddy."

Sebastian was about to suggest to Trent they should leave, when all of the sudden Cooper appeared.

"Hi… Do you think I can borrow him for a little while?" Cooper asked Trent.

"Oh… I would normally say no. Cause he is all mine… But for you, I will make an exception!" Trent said with a wink and the widest and most stupidest smile Sebastian had ever seen.

"I'll be… Waiting there… or maybe not. I'll just go. Okay." Trent babbled as he walked away from them and back to his table.

Sebastian stood awkwardly in front of Cooper, both of them just standing there looking at each other expectantly as the soft music filled the room. Sebastian looked around and saw all the couples slow dancing around them, and then he looked at Cooper again, feeling a little unsure of what to do.

"Do you wanna dance?" Cooper asked, and Sebastian just breathed in and nodded.

With just a small step forward, they found themselves almost pressed against each other. Feeling Cooper's arms around his waist again after so many years stirred a storm of warm nostalgia inside Sebastian, even though Cooper's touch was light, barely holding on to his frame over the fabric of his suit. Sebastian put his arms around Cooper as well, one around the waist and the other one near his neck, resting his arm against his chest.

"You're taller." Cooper said, staring deep into Sebastian's eyes and smiling affectionately.

"Yeah, I think I had one last little growth spurt..." Sebastian admitted with a fond smile because yes, he didn't remember their height difference being the same when they last saw each other… more than 5 years ago.

There was music playing in the background but Sebastian wasn't even sure what it was anymore. It's like he couldn't hear it anymore. He was entranced little by little with the slow, gentle pace of their movement. For a while neither of them said anything. They just danced slowly, lost in thought. A million things were going through Sebastian's mind. Things he could say, questions he could ask, but they all died on their way out of his mouth because... Where could he possibly start?

Suddenly he looked up, right over Cooper's shoulder and spotted Trent sitting on their table. He was smiling and giving him a thumbs up with one hand while holding a drink on the other one. Sebastian couldn't help but snort at the sight and just shook his head.

"What is it?" Cooper asked.

"Nothing… Just Trent being silly."

"Are you guys together? Is he your boyfriend?"

Sebastian was surprised by Cooper's question, but he guessed it's was to be expected. After all, they came together to the wedding, and were dancing just a while ago with Trent practically clinging to Sebastian. They were close friends, so to an outsider it could totally look like they were a couple.

"Oh… He is my roommate."

"Roommate?"

"Yeah… We share an apartment. Rent is cheaper that way."

"I bet it is… Are you still in New York?"

"Yeah, Brooklyn actually… Trying to make a living and finish grad school at the same time. It's harder than it seems."

"Law school, right?"

"Yeah… Criminal law. Trent's in environmental law… We shared lots of classes... that's how we ended up rooming together."

"Must be crazy."

"Yeah, it has been pretty crazy. But good too."

"I'm glad." Cooper said, with a genuine smile that made Sebastian's knees weak.

"How about you? What have you been up to?"

"Well… I'm still in LA. Doing some acting here and there… I'm sure you've seen." Cooper said with a smug smile. And Sebastian just rolled his eyes, smiling in spite of himself. "I have a new project coming up though... We're starting filming in January I think."

"Oh yeah... Is it a new show? What's it about?"

"Well it's still just the pilot right now... I can't say much. Or I'd have to kill you."

"Yeah, look at you mister big shot actor now… Congrats."

"Thanks."

"Trent's a big fan. I'm surprised he didn't ask you for an autograph."

"Really?"

Sebastian just shrugged, and Cooper smiled and shook his head, casting a glance at the table were Trent was. Sebastian followed his gaze and was relieved to see Trent seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with David and his girlfriend.

They kept dancing for what seemed to be hours, the slow and gentle waltz playing in the background almost created a bubble where Cooper and Sebastian were the only ones who existed. There was an unspoken conversation going on between them as they moved together. No words were exchanged, but with the way Cooper was holding him close, and the way his hands slowly traveled up and down Sebastian's back as they danced, Sebastian could tell there was more happening inside than either of them dared to even say out loud. There was a moment of silence when the song they were dancing to ended, but before Sebastian could say anything, Cooper was excusing himself to leave.

"Sorry, I have to go. Duty calls… It's time to announce the cake…" He said apologetically, taking one step back. Sebastian immediately missed the warmth of Cooper's hand on his back, but he knew Cooper had a duty to perform. So he just smiled and gestured for Cooper to go ahead. Quickly putting his hands inside his pockets and smiling as best as he could.

When Cooper turned to walk away and towards the front of the room where Blaine and Eli were gathering the family near the cake, Sebastian just sighed and walked back to his table. Where Trent is waiting for him,

"How did it go? Did you guys talk?" Trent asked, but Sebastian just shook his head. Not quite knowing how to respond.

"Yeah we talked but… Just nothing important."

"What does that even mean?" Trent asked, looking at Sebastian like he grew another head. Yeah, Trent was definitely drunk now.

"It means it was just fucking small talk… Nothing more."

"God Sebastian… If I were you, I would be all over that. You're pathetic!" Trent said, taking the last sip of his drink.

"And you're drunk."

"Yeah well so are you!"

Not nearly enough. Sebastian thought. He definitely needed another drink. So as the rest of the party focused on the cutting of the cake and further photo ops and congratulations to the married couple, Sebastian decided to head to the bar. He sat by himself as the bartender poured him a scotch… and then another… and another.

The party was slowly starting to die out. Cooper was nowhere in sight. It was like he had disappeared, and Sebastian couldn't help but be more than a little frustrated. Regretting not taking the chance to say… something…  _What exactly?_  He didn't know. But now Cooper was gone and Sebastian was definitely drunk so he knew he should probably just leave.

Sebastian stood up and felt proud of himself as he realized he could still walk in a straight line. Trent met him halfway to the table and told him the guys wanted to go to the downstairs casino.

"You want to go to the casino? Really?"

"Sebastian! We're in las Vegas! It would be a crime not to!"

Sebastian was drunk, but not as drunk to be stupid enough to go to the casino. Somehow the idea didn't appeal to him at all. Especially when he knew he didn't have enough money to throw around in gambling games and slot machines.

"Okay… Go ahead and I will catch up with you in a little while." He said, hoping that Trent would go with the guys and he could sneak out to get a cab.

"You're not ditching me are you?"

"No, Trent I just have to take a leak."

"Okay... Awesome. Call me if you get lost!" Trent said before running after Jeff and the rest of the guys.

Sebastian lingered for a little while longer, sitting on the table before just giving up and leaving. He made a stop in the men's room and headed for one of the stalls. He really needed to sit down. He almost fell asleep sitting over the toilet, but was startled when he heard someone opening the door.

Sebastian laughed at himself and got up, loosening his tie a little as he walked out of the stall. He was washing his hands when he looked up at the mirror and saw Cooper standing behind him. Sebastian almost jumped out of his skin, thinking he was finally hallucinating.

"Hi…" Cooper said, proving not to be a figment of Sebastian's imagination.

"Hey… Hi."

"I thought you'd left."

"Um… Yeah, I'm heading out actually." Sebastian said, his head swimming a little as he turned around and grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands.

Cooper's gaze was burning him. He was doing it again. Not saying anything and just staring at him with an unreadable expression. It was driving Sebastian nuts. He grabbed the paper towel mand turned it into a ball to throw it in the bin.

"Are you done with your wedding duties?"

"Yeah… I'm finally done." Cooper said.

"Cool."

"Yeah."

The silence was awkward again. And Sebastian wanted to scream.

"Well… It was nice seeing you Cooper." Sebastian said, not wanting to endure another second of this torture.

"Seriously?" Cooper said, stopping Sebastian in his tracks. "You're just gonna leave? We have barely talked all night."

"You want us to talk?" Sebastian said, genuinely feeling at a loss. He didn't think Cooper wanted to talk to him at all. But now Cooper didn't want him to leave.

"Yes, I want to talk… Don't  _you?_ " Cooper asked, with pleading eyes. Sebastian felt his heart picking up speed as Cooper walked towards him. He was standing so close to Sebastian now that he could feel the intensity of his blue eyes piercing through him. He couldn't stand this anymore.

"Well… Yes, but I just… I don't know where to even start." Sebastian confessed, feeling dizzier than a while ago but not because of the alcohol in his system, but because of the proximity of Cooper's body. Sebastian couldn't find words to express any of the things he wanted to say to Cooper, so he just gave in and with one swift movement, grabbed Cooper by the lapel of his suit and kissed him.

Cooper eagerly reciprocated Sebastian's move by grabbing him by the waist and pushing him against the wall. The movement was so sudden and aggressive that Sebastian felt startled and aroused all at the same time. Cooper moved one hand to grab Sebastian's face and kissed him fiercely. The moment was all equal parts desperation, frustration and longing. Lips parting, tongues brushing and even teeth clashing in the rush of the moment. Sebastian grabbed Cooper's tie and pulled it down, undoing the knot and practically ripping Cooper's shirt open so he could suck on his neck while Cooper grabbed his ass and moved him until he was sitting over the bathroom countertop with his legs spread and Cooper positioned between them.

Sebastian was ready to just get undressed right there and then and let Cooper have his way with him, but Cooper wasn't as drunk as he was, and he was the one who realized that they needed to stop.

"Holy shit… We can't do this." Cooper gasped, stopping Sebastian halfway through unbuttoning his pants. "Not here. Not like this."

"Right… yeah…." Sebastian agreed, even though his hand was already grabbing Cooper's dick through his slacks. Sebastian could feel Cooper was just as hard as he was.

Cooper stepped back, allowing Sebastian to get down from the countertop and compose himself a little. Cooper pulled his tie back and tucked his shirt back inside his slacks. Sebastian's heart was beating fast and his erection was too noticeable to really hide it. So he turned around and faced the mirror, breathing in and out to try to calm himself down.

_Shit, shit, shit! He shouldn't have done that. He felt like a fucking idiot._

"I'm sorry." Cooper said as Sebastian put his tie back on.

"No… I'm the one who is sorry." Sebastian said, turning around so he could face Cooper. "I shouldn't have kissed you."

"What? You don't have to apologize for that." Cooper said, walking over to where Sebastian was again. "If someone walks in, we'd be in trouble… I just… Can we go somewhere else?"

_Oh._

They ended up going to Cooper's suite in the tenth floor. Since Sebastian was staying at a different hotel and he was sharing a room with Trent so there was no way in hell they could go to his'. The walk up to the elevators helped them cool down a little, but not enough for Sebastian to be able to calm down from the exhilarating anticipation of what was going to happen.  _Was he really going to do this?_  Deep down, the rational part of his brain that was not completely numbed out because of the alcohol was telling him that it was not a good idea to sleep with Cooper. But Sebastian didn't want to pay attention to it.

He was really, really drunk though. And Cooper must have realized this while they were going up in the elevator. Because the first thing he did when they walked through the door of the suite was ask him.

"Sebastian… How drunk are you?"

"You mean like on a scale of one to ten?" Sebastian said mockingly as he took off his glasses and put them on the table. "Does it matter?"

"I'm serious."

"Me too." Sebastian said, stepping into Cooper's personal space. He leaned over and kissed Cooper. Softly but firmly, trying to convey that it wasn't the alcohol talking. Sebastian wanted to be here, with him.

Kissing had always been like second nature to them. It was easy to fall into the rhythm of it. Lips, tongues and arms searching for every part of the other's body they could reach. It didn't take long for them to start undressing themselves. Tuxedo jackets ripped off and carelessly thrown to the floor.

It was like they'd been starving for the last five years and now they finally could feed again. It was all desperation and lust.

"What do you want to do?" Cooper asked breathlessly between kisses. One hand holding Sebastian's neck, pressing him against one of the columns of the suite while he moved to kiss his ear and the other one grabbing his ass.

Sebastian felt like he was in a trance, but he managed to put his mouth right on Cooper's ear as he whispered.

"I want to suck your dick... And then fuck you into oblivion."

Sebastian's hand was down under Cooper's half undone slacks stroking Cooper's cock through the fabric of his briefs, so he could feel exactly how his words affected him. He was rock solid and straining and Sebastian really needed to get him inside his mouth.

In a matter of seconds, Cooper was grabbing Sebastian and pushing him onto the bed, crawling on top of him and sitting up so he could finish removing his own shirt.

Sebastian was a half undressed mess. His eyes dark with lust and hair sticking in all directions as he laid there, spread over the hotel bed shirtless but somehow still wearing his tie around his neck. Cooper grabbed his pants and pulled them down quickly.

They rolled on the bed, kissing and wearing nothing more than their boxer briefs. Cooper wanted to hold Sebastian down on the bed but he was having none of that. Sebastian pushed Cooper off, quickly straddling him and pinning Cooper's wrists down to the bed over his head. His blue eyes were wide with anticipation, since Sebastian had never been like this in bed before.

Sebastian knew this might be the last time he saw Cooper so he wanted to make the most of it. He didn't want to rush it, his head was spinning enough as it was. He wanted to fuck Cooper and take him apart slowly. He wanted to remember this moment for years.

He leaned down to kiss him, as he kept his wrists pinned down and he moved his hips down and up, rubbing their erections together as he moved. Cooper was panting and moving his hips desperately as Sebastian continued kissing him, tracing his tongue over his neck and then going down to his nipples.

Every single one of Cooper's moans was like music to Sebastian's ears. It wasn't long until he was positioned between Cooper's spread legs, boxers long forgotten as he held Cooper's cock firmly with his hand and put it all the way inside his mouth.

It was bliss. Pure and unadulterated pleasure. Sebastian enjoyed giving head, and giving it to Cooper was even better. Sebastian could tell Cooper was close... He kept pulling his hair and asking him to slow down but he didn't want to. Still, he knew he had to.

With a loud pop he let go of Cooper's dick, only to lick his lips and move up to kiss him. "Where's the lube?" Sebastian asked and Cooper looked uncertain.

"It should be in my carry on... I'm not even sure if I brought it."

Cooper moved off the bed and opened his bag... Sebastian felt relieved as he saw the small bottle. Not having lube and condoms would be a total buzzkill right now.

As Cooper sat down on the bed again, Sebastian moved to kiss him and push him down again.

"Whoa... When did you get so bossy?" Cooper teased as Sebastian straddled him again, both their erections were lined up together now. Sebastian wasn't as thick as Cooper but both were almost the same size. Sebastian took the lube and spread it over both their cocks, rubbing them together for a few seconds and smiling when Cooper closed his eyes and started breathing heavier.

When Sebastian's other hand traveled down to his balls and went further down until his fingers found his hole, Cooper's breath hitched and he opened his eyes.

"Shh... I'm gonna make you feel good." Sebastian promised. Slowly circling and pushing one finger inside.

"Oh fuck!" Cooper moaned, and Sebastian reveled in the sight in front of him. Cooper spread out naked in front of him. Sebastian's head was spinning with lust and he couldn't wait to be inside him. But as drunk as he was Sebastian knew one finger was not quite enough.

Cooper's moans increased when Sebastian added his second and third fingers at the same time. He was really loud. Actually a little too loud. When Sebastian stopped to put on the condom, Cooper propped himself up on his elbows and looked down... And that's when Sebastian noticed. Was Cooper nervous? Cooper's skin was hot under his touch, and he could feel his breathing coming in harsher and harsher as Sebastian lined himself up with his hole. He pushed himself in, just the tip, to test him... Sebastian wasn't even pushing in yet and Cooper was breathing harshly.

"Hey hey... Are you okay?" Sebastian asked, kissing Cooper and staring at his wide eyes.

"Yes, yes I'm okay... Just, go slow... Please."

Sebastian pulled back before slowly pushing in again, this time a few inches more than just the tip.. Cooper grimaced in pain so Sebastian stopped and pulled out.

"Something's wrong."

"No... It's fine... It's just... I've never..."

Sebastian's blood ran cold. "Wait... you've never bottomed before?"

Cooper didn't reply, but his face gave away the answer. Oh shit. This couldn't be happening. Suddenly Sebastian felt sick... But that was probably because of the booze.

"I can't do this." Sebastian said, sitting up and getting off the bed.

"Why? Wait.. Sebastian!" Cooper pleaded, but Sebastian was already rushing to the bathroom. He got to the toilet, sure he was going to puke his guts out. But nothing came up... He was just so dizzy. He shouldn't have taken so many drinks at the bar.

Cooper came to the bathroom only to find Sebastian sitting on the edge of the tub. Elbows propped over his knees and rubbing his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Cooper asked, still sounding breathless.

Sebastian looked up. "Yeah, but I'm still drunk off my ass and you're... I just can't do it Cooper. Not like this."

Cooper sat down beside Sebastian. Both naked except for the condom Sebastian was still wearing. They stayed in silence for a few moments until Sebastian took off the condom and threw it away. His erection was almost all gone anyway.

"How come you've never bottomed before?" Sebastian asked, feeling genuinely curious. Cooper seemed to struggle to get the words out, but when he finally did, Sebastian felt even more conflicted.

"I'm not gay Sebastian... I'm bisexual. You're the only guy I've ever been with, and I only ever topped when we were together."

Sebastian couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"I was ready... Just a little nervous, that's all."

Sebastian shook his head.

"I mean it... Sebastian, let's go back to bed. I really want to..."

"Yeah but it's not okay. I'm drunk Cooper... As much as I would have loved to fuck you... It shouldn't be like this. I could have hurt you. I'm too drunk."

Sebastian sighed and Cooper smiled sadly. "On a scale of one to ten?"

"About nine point five." Confessed Sebastian before bursting out laughing. A few seconds later, he was puking his guts out into the toilet. It was embarrassing as hell. Not that Cooper had never seen him like this before, but it was not the same now. Especially not when not even five minutes ago they were in the middle of having sex.

There's always a first time for everything. Sebastian guessed.

...

They ended up deciding against going back to bed, and Cooper had the idea to use the jacuzzi instead. The warm water served to relax them and they were able to talk while Sebastian sobered up. Cooper insisted Sebastian got something to eat, so he ordered room service and got them a couple of snacks. Sebastian ate a little and had to admit it made him feel better, even if just a bit.

Being in the hot tub and talking was nice, it was what they both needed to do. Just have a moment alone where they could reconnect. Sebastian told Cooper about the first time he had sex, and how the guy he was with was drunk off his ass and not quite in control of what he was doing to him. It was not an experience Sebastian wished upon anyone, hence why he was extra worried about doing it to Cooper.

Cooper talked about his first time too, but how different it was when it came to being with a woman. Sebastian didn't understand bisexuality, he'd just never seen the appeal in a woman's body. But he was open minded and knew Cooper was being truthful. They stayed in the hot tub for a few hours, talking, reminiscing and just catching up on each other's lives. Sebastian talked about his family, how his mom was doing, his brother and his nephew, his job. Cooper told Sebastian about his family too, about Blaine breaking up with Kurt over Eli and how they ended up being a better match in the end. He also told Sebastian about his job, even though he still couldn't share too many details about what was next for him. But just talking with Cooper was nice in a way Sebastian didn't even realize he missed.

A part of Sebastian felt fulfilled and happy being able to be like this with Cooper again, but a part of him was holding back. Because as awesome as these moments were, Sebastian knew that he had a plane to catch in the morning, and that it was unlikely that he would see Cooper again in the near future. Be as it was, this was just going to be a very emotionally charged one night stand. Sebastian felt sick just thinking about it, but it was the truth.

Which is why, when the conversation started to get really personal again, Sebastian decided it was time to make a move again. After all, they were naked in a jacuzzi, and while sex in a hot tub was not practical at all, making out and handjobs were actually pretty fantastic.

Unfortunately, all the alcohol and orgasms had Sebastian completely wiped out. He barely made it to the bed with some help from Cooper before he was passing out. Cooper handed him a glass of water and an aspirin so he could feel better in the morning. In spite of all Sebastian's reservations, falling asleep in Cooper's arms was not a bad way to end his night at all.

Sebastian had no idea what time it was when Cooper and he went back to bed. But when he opened his eyes and realized it was the early morning, he almost wanted to scream. He had a dull headache, but it wasn't nearly as bad as he thought it was going to be, considering how much he had to drink the night before. Still, he was tangled in bed with Cooper, and both of them were very, very naked. Cooper was sound asleep and looked peaceful and gorgeous as ever, but even through the bedsheets Sebastian could see Cooper's erection and just the sight of it was making his blood flow south.

Sebastian sighed, feeling a little frustrated and reaching for the bedside to see if he could grab a hold of Cooper's phone, because his own was lost somewhere in the hall probably, as it had fallen to the carpet when Cooper first pressed him against the wall when they had gotten into the suite last night.

11:35am. Damn, it was late, but he could still take a shower, maybe even have some brunch with Cooper before he had to leave. His flight back to New York was leaving at 2:00pm so while he couldn't stay for long, at least he didn't have to rush too much either.

"Good morning." Cooper said behind him, stroking his hand gently up Sebastian's back.

"Hey…"

" How's the hangover treating you? How do you feel?"

"Well… Not as bad as I expected, so I guess that's a win?"

They both smiled, and Sebastian wanted nothing more than to reach down to kiss Cooper and get into bed with him again so he could kiss him senseless. Judging by Cooper's erection, Sebastian guessed he was feeling the same way.

"Do you have to leave soon?" Cooper asked, and Sebastian nodded.

"Kind of… My plane leaves at two."

"Oh…"

"Yeah…"

"What time is it?"

"Eleven thirty."

Cooper sat up and reached over to where Sebastian was, stroking a few loose bangs of his hair back into place. "We still have a bit of time… Are you hungry?"

Cooper's soft touch had Sebastian's heart rate speeding up. He wasn't really hungry, but he did need _something_ … "Not much, but I could use a cup of coffee." He admitted.

"There's a coffee machine here, let me…" Cooper got out of bed, still very naked and making no attempt to cover himself up. He walked over to the small kitchenette and got the coffee machine working. A few minutes later, they were in bed, drinking coffee and talking again.

Talking turned to kissing, and kissing turned to something else, as it was bound to happen. Sober and very aware of what he was doing, Sebastian got the chance to properly show Cooper just how amazing it was to bottom. Sebastian took his time kissing and working him up, preparing and stretching him, so when he finally pushed himself inside Cooper, the feeling was amazing.

Having Cooper pinned down on the bed, laying on his back with his legs wrapped around Sebastian's waist was slowly driving him over the edge. The sensation was amazing, and the way they moved together was intoxicating. Sebastian had started out slowly, giving time for Cooper to adjust to the sensation, but it wasn't long before his thrusts gained speed and both of them were moaning out loud until they came.

It was surreal, and Sebastian wished he could stay all day with Cooper in bed. But time was going by fast and he knew that he had to leave. It was easier said than done though, because just when Sebastian thought he could get away, Cooper initiated round two.

In all honesty, missing his flight was looking less and less like something to worry about when he had Cooper Anderson in bed with him, sucking his cock like his life depended on it. He could always try to get another flight… but this day with Cooper in bed, was most likely not going to happen ever again.

…

Two hours later, Sebastian was showering in a hurry and then collecting his clothes so he could rush to the hotel to meet up with Trent, though he was probably already at the airport.

"What time is it?"

"It's one thirty five."

"Shit, Trent is going to kill me… I'm surprised he hasn't called me yet." Sebastian said, but as he grabbed his phone from his discarded clothes on the floor, he realized his battery had died. Luckily Cooper had the same charger he needed, so he connected his phone to turn it on just so he could call Trent.

The second Sebastian turned on his phone, he realized he had some texts and also a voicemail message from Trent.

_**Sat (2:03am) From Trent Nixon:** _

_Sebastian… Did you hook up with Cooper? I thought I'd see you at the casino. See you tomorrow._

_**Sun (9:24am) From Trent Nixon:** _

_Is your phone dead? Remember we have to be at the airport at 11:30 the least._

_**Sun (11:44) From Trent Nixon:** _

_Where are you? Our plane leaves at 12:00pm remember?_

_Shit._  Sebastian thought it was 2pm, but it was actually 12pm. He had already lost his flight back to New York now. Trent was going to kill him. He dialed to listen to his voicemail message, knowing for certain it was Trent.

" _Sebastian, I've been calling you all morning. I don't know where you are, but David's girlfriend said she saw you walking down the hall with the master of ceremonies. Are you with Cooper? Did you guys hook up? Blaine is gone to his honeymoon so I didn't want to bother him, getting his brother's number. I'm about to get into the plane, I'm taking your baggage with me because I couldn't leave it at the hotel… We had to check out at noon so… I don't know Sebastian. I hope you can get another flight home. Talk to me when you get this."_

"Everything okay?" Cooper asked, and Sebastian tried to look as casual as he could possibly manage.

"Yeah, it's just… Its late... I should probably go now."

"Oh, okay." Cooper smiled, albeit a little sadly. Sebastian was fully dressed and ready to go, but he was still wearing only a white bathrobe.

"So I guess this is goodbye… again." Sebastian said, already feeling the loss and feeling sick all over. But trying not to show it.

"It doesn't have to be." Cooper replied, sounding a bit too hopeful. Which puzzled Sebastian. "We can stay in touch this time... Can I have your phone number?"

"Um… Yeah.. Sure, of course you can." Sebastian said. When Cooper walked up to him and gave him his phone, Sebastian saved his contact information for him.

"Next time I'm in New York maybe I'll give you a call… Would that be okay?" Cooper said, with a soft smile.

"I'd like that. Yeah." Sebastian smiled, and walked over to give Cooper a tight hug. Sebastian was tempted to give Cooper one last kiss before leaving, but he decided against it. He knew it was probably unlikely that Cooper was going to be in New York any time in the near future. Thinking about that made saying goodbye even harder. Sebastian really needed to leave.

Sebastian made his way to the airport feeling strangely numb. Not even all the amazing sex he'd had could make him feel any better. And now he was going to have to buy a new ticket to New York cause he'd lost his flight.

… Four hours later ...

If there was anything Sebastian hated more than anything, it was airport waiting rooms. The chairs were uncomfortable, and as tired as he was, he simply refused to lay down on the floor like so many other people did. Didn't they know how filthy those carpets were? Sebastian shuddered just thinking about it.

The clock in one of the TV's said it was 5:30pm. Sebastian had been waiting there for almost four hours. But he really had no choice. And he still had one more hour to go. The next flight to New York wasn't until 6:30 and he had to wait until the passengers checked in to see if there was any room for him to fly in it. Those were the complications and risks of trying to fly across the country in December. Damn Blaine and his wedding ideas.

It was a really stressful situation but Sebastian had no choice. He got himself in this mess when he decided to stay with Cooper instead of going to his own hotel room last night. The time was dragging, and to make things worse, Sebastian didn't even have his phone to kill the time with. That's probably what had him more bored than anything else.

One more hour. One more hour. One… More… Hour. One more...

Sebastian didn't realize when he dozed off, but he was startled when someone called his name.

"Sebastian? Sebastian!"

He opened his eyes. Was he hallucinating again?

"Cooper?"

"What are you doing here?"

 _Oh damn. This was embarrassing._ Sebastian sat up and looked around, the waiting room was full again. When he turned to see Cooper again he realized he was carrying a small carry on luggage. Beside him, there was a short, blonde woman staring at him like she had no idea what was going on.

"Um… I kinda lost my flight earlier. So I'm waiting for the next one. What about you? Going back to LA?" Sebastian asked, glancing at the clock and saw it was 6:05pm.

"Yeah well, we're going to New York." Said the girl beside Cooper, stepping in. "I'm Grace, by the way, nice to meet you Sebastian."

"Likewise." He said, smiling as best he could. "Wait... You're going to New York?"

"Yeah..." Cooper said, looking suddenly a little sheepish.

"We're going to New York for the holidays. I have family there, and told him he could tag along." Grace added.

 _Who was this girl anyway?_  Sebastian's question must have been written all over his face because Cooper quickly cleared it up. "Grace is my assistant... and Dearest friend."

Well, this was definitely weird. Sebastian didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry. But he had bigger things to worry about right now, like getting into the flight or risking having to wait until the next day. His boss was going to kill him.

"Okay well if you excuse me, I have to go to the front desk and see if I have a chance of getting in this flight or not." Sebastian walked away from Cooper, feeling like he didn't know what was going on, and of course, Cooper went after him.

"Hi… any news for me?" Sebastian asked Rebecca, the woman in the airline's front desk. She smiled apologetically as she checked her computer, but Sebastian knew that smile probably meant bad news for him.

"I'm sorry, the flight is full… There's still a chance we'll have an opening, but we won't know until the gates are about to close. If you want you can wait, though I recommend you try a different airline if you really need to fly tonight, as our next flight to New York is until tomorrow morning. 7:45 am to be exact."

"Wait, what does that mean?" Cooper asked, looking expectantly at Rebecca.

"It means all economy class seats are booked. So unless one of the passengers doesn't check in before 6:20 then Mr. Smythe is going to have to wait for the next flight which is tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Rebecca. It's fine." Sebastian said, walking away from the front desk. He thought Cooper would follow him again but as it turns out, he stayed at the front desk. Sebastian went back and sat down at one of the seats where he was sitting before. And he watched how Cooper and now Grace, who had also walked over to the front desk, were talking to the lady from the airline.

Sebastian felt at a loss. He couldn't believe the mess he had gotten himself into. He couldn't really afford paying for another airline ticket. He was just going to have to wait until the next day and just get ready to get yelled at at work for being late.

Suddenly, Cooper and Grace appeared again and they stood up in front of Sebastian, who had no choice to look up at them.

"Here… You're getting in the flight." Grace said, handing Sebastian a ticket. Sebastian frowned, examining the piece of paper and realizing what it said:  _Sebastian Smythe, seat A2. First class._

"What's this?"

"Merry Christmas!" Grace said with a cheeky smile. "I'll go ahead and buy myself a latte, see you guys inside."

As Grace walked away, Cooper sat down beside Sebastian with his lips pressed into a nervous smile.

"Cooper did you just seriously buy my ticket?"

"It's okay… I mean, it's the least I can do considering I'm the reason you lost your flight to begin with. Right?"

Sebastian wanted to be mad, but he couldn't help but smile.

"Well thanks, but… If you were flying to New York today... Why didn't you tell me last night?"

"I don't know… I just didn't want to freak you out."

"Freak me out?"

"Yeah… I mean, we had a great night yesterday and we parted on good terms so I figured I would just call you in a couple of weeks or… I don't know, maybe next month?"

Sebastian was a at a loss.

"I just didn't want to smother you Sebastian, that's all."

"But wait… You just said you were going to call me  _next month?_  I thought Grace said you were only going to stay for the holidays."

Cooper smiled. "Actually, that's true… but it's not the whole truth."

"Cooper… What are you up to?" Sebastian asked, getting suspicious. Cooper just smiled cheekily.

"Remember that new project I told you about last night?"

"The one you said you couldn't talk about or else you'd have to kill me?"

"Yeah. That one." Cooper said with a smug smile as they both walked towards the boarding gate.

"So… Are you going to tell me what this project of yours is all about? Or am I gonna have to pry Grace for the details?"

"It's a pretty big deal… Or at least it has the potential to be. We start filming next month so I guessed now it was as good a time as ever to look for an apartment and get settled in before it all starts."

"So... What is it about?"

"I'm playing a con artist who escapes from prison and then ends up working for the FBI as a criminal informant in New York."

"Oh… A con artist? How suiting." Sebastian teased, making Cooper roll his eyes, but he smiled nonetheless.

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you Cooper?"

"You know me."

Sebastian smiled, because that was definitely one thing he had learn to expect from Cooper Anderson… Always something new and unexpected. Just a few hours earlier Sebastian had accepted the idea that he was never going to see Cooper again, and now here he was, on a plane with him and heading for New York.

It was going to be a long flight.

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so this is the end... but is it really? It kinda feels like the prologue to a whole new chapter in Cooper and Sebastian's lives, doesn't it? :) 
> 
> I hope you guys liked it, and thank you tons for the support and lovely comments. Every single one of your reviews has inspired me to write more. It means the world to me. Thank you so much!


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